ADAM HUNTER (48) LOSES BATTLE WITH LEUKAEMIA

"Adam was always there for me, and I shall miss him so much" - PAUL LAWRIE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Adam Hunter, the man who coached Paul Lawrie when the Aberdonian became Open champion at Carnoustie in 1999, died last night after losing his battle with leukaemia. He passed away at Beatson Cancer Centre in Glasgow.
Born in Glasgow on September 26, 1963, the 48-year-old Hunter was a Scotland boy and youth international and spent a couple of years at Virginia College in the United States before he turned pro in 1984.
He had several spells on the European Tour, the highlight of which came in 1995 when he won the Portuguese Open in 1995, beating Darren Clarke in a play-off.
Adam was also a successful Tartan Tour campaigner in the mid-1980s, playing out of the Sandyhills club.
He won the Granite City Classic and the Scottish Under-25s championship in 1985. In 1986 he won the Carnoustie Challenge and in 1987 Hunter won the Northern Open championship at Royal Aberdeen.
In his later years, Hunter established a reputation as a very good coach, principally with Paul Lawrie who won the Open championship at Carnoustie in 1999. His forte was the short game.
Last year Hunter was appointed head coach of the Scottish Under-16s by the SGU, having spent six years prior to that as a Scottish Golf Academy coach.
Hunter opened his own golf school at Newton Mearns, near Glasgow but used Kingsfield near Linlithgow more recently to work with Lawrie and his other pupils.
Douglas Connon, the SGU chairman, visited Adam only this past week.
“Adam was a consistent and straight man who set us all an example by his personal behaviour and how to live life. I am heartbroken as he was my friend. Our thoughts are with his lovely, caring wife Caroline and his family,” said Connon.
News of Hunter’s death was broken to Lawrie after he had just finished his second round in the Portugal Masters.
He said: “I have said many times over the years Adam Hunter was magnificent for me, right from the first day we hooked up together way back in 1998.
“His work-rate and dedication to my golf was unbelievable. He was always there for me and I will miss him so much.
“It would be impossible to tell you how much he meant to me. Nothing was too much trouble. He travelled with me for months after The Open in 1999 as much as my mate as coach. I learned so much from him.”
Hunter began to feel unwell with earache at the end of 2009 and was subsequently diagnosed with leukaemia. Despite the illness, he remained devoted to his job and was still sending emails from his hospital bed over the past few weeks.

+ON his own website, Paul Lawrie has written the following tribute:

"My friend and coach Adam Hunter passed away last night after a two-year battle with leukemia.
"I have said many times he was the reason I became the player I did. I owe him so much. His dedication to my golf career was unbelievable. He was involved in everything I did and was always there for me.
"Our thoughts are with his wife Caroline and their two girls at this awful time."

TRIBUTE FROM FORMER SCOTLAND INTERNATIONAL STEVIE CARMICHAEL

I'm sure many people will share my sadness at Adam's passing.
There is no doubt at all he was one of life's good guys and as well as being a great player and coach he was just a very good man to spend time with.
I'll keep some very fond memories of times spent with Adam on trips with the SGU either working on my game or sharing jokes and stories.
Very, very sad and my thoughts go out to Caroline and their girls.
Stevie Carmichael