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A Look Back at a Notable Year for Scottish Golf

Scottish golf rarely needs embellishment. Its history, venues and influence on the modern game are already well established. What makes a season stand out, then, is not noise or hype, but consistency — players performing well across different tours, different conditions and different points in the calendar.

Last year offered several such moments. There were wins by Scottish professionals abroad, a strong domestic presence at home events, and an international champion who succeeded on Scottish soil. Taken together, the year provided a useful snapshot of where Scottish golf currently sits in the global professional landscape.

Calum Hill — Joburg Open

The year began with a composed performance from Calum Hill at the Joburg Open. Playing in South Africa, Hill produced a controlled four-round display built around steady ball-striking and sound decision-making.

There was little drama to the win, which in many ways made it more impressive. Hill managed his position sensibly, avoided costly mistakes, and closed out the tournament with the assurance of a player comfortable in contention. It was an early indicator that Scottish players would be competitive away from home as the season progressed.

Connor Syme — KLM Open

Connor Syme’s victory at the KLM Open continued that trend. The tournament required patience and discipline, and Syme’s strengths — accuracy, course management and resilience — were well suited to the test.

Syme has built a reputation as a methodical competitor rather than an explosive one, and this win followed that pattern. He remained steady throughout the week and handled pressure without visible urgency. The result reinforced the idea that Scottish success last year was not confined to a single playing style or personality.

Grant Forrest — Nexo Championship

Grant Forrest added another significant result at the Nexo Championship, securing one of the more substantial victories of his career.

Forrest’s performance was notable for its balance. He combined solid iron play with timely putting and showed little fluctuation in form across the four rounds. Rather than relying on a standout day, his win was built on consistency — a theme that recurred across several Scottish successes during the season.

Bob MacIntyre — Alfred Dunhill Links & Ryder Cup

Bob MacIntyre’s year followed a slightly different path, blending individual performance with team golf. At the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, he was among the most watchable players in the field, comfortable in links conditions and well supported by home crowds on his way to victory. He was also unfortunately just pipped to the US Open by first time winner J.J. Spaun.

Beyond individual tournaments, MacIntyre’s inclusion in the Ryder Cup added another layer to Scotland’s presence on the international stage. While team events are judged differently to stroke-play wins, his involvement in the now famous away win in New York reflected his standing within European golf and capped a solid year.

Chris Gotterup — Genesis Scottish Open

One of the Scottish season’s most high-profile events, the Genesis Scottish Open, was won not by a Scot, but by American Chris Gotterup.

Gotterup’s victory was nonetheless an important part of the Scottish golf year. The Scottish Open continues to attract one of the strongest fields on the DP World Tour schedule, and success there requires adaptability as much as talent. Gotterup handled the conditions and the occasion effectively, producing a performance that stood up over four demanding rounds.

Rather than detracting from Scottish achievements elsewhere, the result underlined the tournament’s status as a genuinely international contest — one in which Scottish venues test players from all backgrounds equally.

What the Season Suggested

Taken together, these results point to a year of quiet substance rather than headline-driven drama. Scottish golfers won across different countries and conditions, while Scottish tournaments continued to hold their place as meaningful tests for the global game.

There was no single defining moment, but a series of solid outcomes:

wins achieved through control rather than excess,

performances shaped by consistency rather than peaks and troughs,

and a continued presence in both individual and team golf at the highest level.

Looking Ahead

If the past year demonstrated anything, it was that Scottish golf remains competitive without needing to be overstated. The players involved showed that success can come through varied routes, and that Scotland’s role in professional golf — as both a producer of players and a host of major events — remains stable and relevant.

Whether that consistency converts into more high-profile victories in the future will depend, as always, on execution rather than expectation. For now, last year stands as a reminder that Scottish golf continues to progress in measured, credible steps.

Our big prediction for scottish golf in 2026 is: Robert Macintyre will win a major.

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