James Byrne action image by courtesy of the Scottish Golf Union (Kenny Smith).

James Byrne Wins Scottish Amateur

Golfer of the Year Award

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Banchory Golf Club’s James Byrne has been named the 2010 Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year after finishing the season as the leading Scot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Byrne, who reached the final of The Amateur Championship at Muirfield back in June, was ranked at number 15 in the world when the official ranking season concluded, with Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Champion Michael Stewart second having ended the season in 74th place and Colville Park’s Ross Kellett in third, ranked number 87.
The 21-year-old, currently in his final year of a scholarship at Arizona State University, has enjoyed a fine year, playing some superb golf during the summer including a run to the semi-finals of the Scottish Amateur Championship, eleventh place in the European Amateur Championship while just missing out on a place at The Open after finishing tied second in Final Qualifying at Kingsbarns.
“I’m delighted to be named Scottish Golfer of the Year,” said Byrne, who follows in the footsteps of Gavin Dear, Callum Macaulay and Richie Ramsay as winners of the prestigious award. “I have played some of the best golf of my career this year and to collect this honour makes all my hard work very worthwhile.”
“The highlight of my year was the run to the final of The Amateur Championship, but I also feel I performed well at Gullane in the Scottish and over in Finland during the Europeans and probably could have taken more from those weeks. I am playing with a consistency that has allowed me to contend on a more frequent basis.”
Byrne, who won the SGU Boys of Merit three years ago, paid tribute to his coach Andrew Locke from Inchmarlo Golf Club in Aberdeen as well as national coach Ian Rae:
“Andrew has worked with me for many years and has overseen my progression from junior golf to the level I’m playing at today, while I’d also like to thank Ian Rae for his support with the Scotland squad and offering his wealth of knowledge and experience when I’ve asked for it.”
Having returned to the USA last month Byrne will now turn his attentions to representing Scotland at the World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina as well as targeting a place in next year’s GB and I Walker Cup side.
“It would be great to bring the Eisenhower Trophy back to Scotland for another two years. I’d also like to establish myself more on the college golf stage in America and would love to play in next year’s Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen, which is a course I’m very familiar with. I’m also looking forward to having another crack at The Amateur Championship having gone so close at Muirfield.”
“I still have another year of my degree to complete before I graduate so in that period I’ll be striving to make further improvements to my game and take full advantage of the great opportunities I have here in the States. I’m confident that when I graduate in May, I’ll return to Scotland knowing that it has been a worthwhile and very rewarding experience which has contributed greatly to my success.”
Final Scottish Standings (WAGR as at 1 September):
1 James Byrne (Banchory)
2 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)
3 Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
4 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh)
5 Stuart Ballingall Dunston Hall
6 James White Lundin
7  Peter Latimer St Andrews New
8 Scott Crichton Aberdour
9 Steven Rennie Airdrie
10 Scott Larkin Royal Aberdeen