Fraserburgh player is still targeting European Tour card

Jordan Findlay has +2.3 of a handicap and

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he still can't get into Portuguese and

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Spanish amateur championships!

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By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay, who appeared in back-to-back British boys' championship finals as a teenager, still has the confidence to pursue his ambition to become a European Tour player.
But, even with +2.3 of a handicap, the 21-year-old Buchan Loon could not get into the field for this week's Portuguese amateur championship nor the upcoming Spanish equivalent.
"The standard is so high these days in the big amateur events that you had to have a handicap of at least +2.5 to get into the 'Portuguese' and the Spanish championship organisers decided their field on the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings," said Findlay (pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency at Murcar Links yesterday).
"My world ranking is just not high enough these days to get me in to events like that."
Winner of the British boys' title in 2004 and beaten finalist in 2005, Jordan's four years as a student at East Tennessee State University latterly did nothing for his golf.
He has been a full-time amateur golfer since he returned from the States. He failed to get past Stage 1 of the European Tour Qualifying School last autumn but is determined to keep trying until he makes it. If it is any encouragement to Jordan, didn't it take Major-winner-to-be Ian Woosnam seven years to gain pass marks at the Q School many years ago?
"I did think of going to the EuroPro Tour Qualifying School at the end of March but changed my mind in favour of having a full season on the amateur circuit. To be a European Tour player has been my ambition for a long time and I won't be happy until I get there."

Winning a place in the Scotland team this season would be a positive sign that his career is back on track.
There will be a lot more rivers to cross for Jordan to get a European Tour card but at 21 he has youth on his side. And the skill that once made him the best in Britain as a teenager must still be there, waiting to be brought to the surface again.

Four birdies in his first nine holes of yesterday's North-east Alliance at Murcar Links suggests that he is on the way back.

Any comments? You can E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com