WHERE ARE THEY NOW? SERIES: No 2 - GRAHAM LOWSON

Lindsay Stewart (Merchants of Edinburgh), then president of the Scottish Golf Union, with the Scottish amateur match-play championship trophy, and the winner, Graham Lowson (Auchterarder) at Downfield GC, Dundee in 1991. No prizes for guessing the company that sponsored the championship in those days (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

GRAHAM LOWSON, THE WORKING AMATEUR

WHO WAS A GREAT MATCH-PLAYER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Relatively easy to track down Graham Lowson (Auchterarder), the Scottish amateur match-play champion of 1991, for our “Where are they now?” series (which teed off last week with Laura Moffat: see www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk).
That’s because (a) Graham still lives in Auchterarder and (b) He still works as an asset finance specialist.
My thanks to Dundee Courier golf writer Steve Scott and past SGU president Hugh Hunter, who has a library of golf reference books second only to Gillian Kirkwood, for their considerable help in compiling this article.
Graham Lowson’s forte as a golfer was match-play. He won far more matches than he lost, not only for Perth and Kinross in county matches but especially for Scotland, which was one of the reasons he was recalled to international duty in 1997-98 after his earlier cap career spanned the 1989-91 seasons.
Graham recalls: “I did not badly in the SGU Order of Merit in 1997-98 and got to the quarter-finals of the Scottish amateur in 1997. In the home internationals that year I won two out of three singles, playing No 1! Jamie Donaldson was the only man I lost to. I can remember playing against Justin Rose and Gary Wolstenholme in the foursomes – and lost!

Did Lowson, pictured right as he looks now, ever consider turning professional in the 1990s?

“Never. I was never a full-time amateur. I’ve always worked for a living and, anyway, I always thought it would be too difficult to make the grade and a living as a tour pro,” he said.

“Some more of the guys who did make the switch should have thought that way too!”
Lowson, area sales manager with First Independent Finance Ltd., has been an asset finance specialist for over 26 years “with a particular understanding of turfcare, agriculture, haulage, construction and the small business sector.
“I joined First Independent Finance Ltd as the business gave me the ability to offer greater choice and higher levels of trust to my customer base, along with a wide credit appetite and a service that has been proved to be second to none.
“If you are in the market for any asset for your business, I guarantee I will be one of your greatest asset for your business.”
Graham’s love of golf has never diminished over the years but he also enjoys shooting, walking and training three dogs.
SGU past president Hugh Hunter recalls the 1991 Scottish amateur championship at Downfield.

“In the semi-finals, Graham Lowson beat Garry Hay (Hilton Park) by one hole while Len Salariya ( Downfield), who was the ‘local hero’/ surprise packet of the tournament, beat Derek Paton (Dunnikier Park) 3 and 2 in the other.

“In the 36-hole final, Lowson and Salariya were all square after 28 holes. Then Lowson hit three birdies to stand three up with four to play. Salariya was bunkered at the 15th and failed to get up and down so Lowson won 4 and 3.“
Salariya’s great week was not rewarded with a Scotland cap in the home internationals. It was obviously considered a flash in the pan performance, aided by local knowledge on his home course. Perhaps the SGU selectors were right.


Graham Lowson (pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency) playing in the 2001 East of Scotland Open amateur stroke-play championship at Lundin Golf Club.

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