Ross tees off at St Andrews

August 24, 2023 11:53 am

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Edinburgh golf professional Ross Munro will have former boss Alastair McLean caddying for him when he tees off on Thursday in the first round of the $1.5 million St Andrews Bay Championship on Fife’s Fairmont Torrance course.

For the former Liberton golf club junior champion (twice) having come through qualifying in spectacular style it is a dream come true to be playing in a field that includes former US Masters champion Sergio Garcia as well as his fellow Ryder Cup star Paul Casey.

Some 120 qualifying hopefuls were bidding for just five places in the 150 strong field but Ross, who now has pro membership of the Duddingston club where he worked as an assistant to head pro McLean, finished second overall with a stunning six-under-par.

“To be honest if there had only been a couple of qualifying spots available instead of five I probably wouldn’t have considered it worthwhile entering.

“As it was Elliot Fleming, a director of Golfclubs4cash Ltd (a trading venue where clubs are bought and sold) where I work in Loanhead convinced me that I just had to give it a go.

“For sure it could be life changing if I play as well as I did in qualifying and by a long way it is the biggest event of my career” said Ross, who won the Scottish under-25 title at Royal Dornoch a few years ago.

He adds: “I’ve certainly still got a competitive attitude and having Alastair McLean on the bag to keep me right will help. He has always been willing to assist including at the Scottish Open qualifying event earlier this year.”

As well as working alongside McLean, now a highly regarded teaching pro at the Kings Acre club, Lasswade, Ross also believes it will help playing in the company of a familiar face.

“I’m out in the final three ball of the day which also includes Rob Paterson from Kilspindie who I know to be a really good player and if I manage to qualify for the last two rounds and play alongside one of the bigger names I’ll try not to get starstruck!”

The St Andrews Bay Championship is part of the Asian Tour’s international series and is backed by the Liv Golf organisation.

Other entries include Gullane amateur Sam Mukherjee and Kieran Cantley who moved from Liberton to Duddingston for a spell and picked up their junior title before turning pro. Kieran has already won on the tartan pro tour this year.