They’ll be getting the bunting up on the A96 through Nairn after this. Calum Scott’s Open Championship debut here at Royal Troon ended with a nice clump of silver to tuck in his pocket At eight-over-par – he closed with a 76 – the 20-year-old highlander finished a fine campaign as the leading amateur and marched on to the 18th green at the official prize giving ceremony to pick up a treasured silver medal. He joins some esteemed company too.
The likes of Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy all have one on the mantelpiece. There would be a few glasses raised in the Nairn clubhouse last night. And maybe a few more when Scott gets back up the road.
“Super happy, buzzing, excited, relieved as well,” gasped Scott at the end. Three shots better off than his nearest rival for the amateur prize going into the final day, Scott had a decent enough cushion. He could even afford the luxury of a back nine of 40 as he eased over the finishing line.
“I made it hard for myself but after about the 14th or 15th someone said, ‘you’ve got a five shot lead’ and at that point I was pretty chilled,” he said. “I could take it easy from there and didn’t have to be too stressed.” The wander up the 18th to a rousing reception wasn’t a bad way to bow out.
“My caddie told me to soak it all in,” he added. “I did the last 100 yards just walking, and I got kind of emotional. It's a memory I'll cherish for a lifetime.
“There's been a bunch of s.