Playing in the same event as the likes of Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood might be a dream for many, but for one Fife teenager it is becoming a reality today.
Alasdair McDougall is stepping on to the first tee at the Old Course in St Andrews this morning after being drafted in to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the last minute.
The 14-year-old from Drumoig, near St Andrews, has been called on from the standby list after the withdrawal of former South African rugby player Morne du Plessis and will line up alongside some of the sport’s greatest on the Fife course.
Alasdair won the St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association (SALJGA) Order of Merit this year and gained the dream spot on the standby list for the European Tour pro-am event.
While the youngster perhaps thought he might not get his chance to shine, the late call-off means he has just teed off on the Old Course in the same group as former Open champion and SALJGA honorary president Paul Lawrie.
”It is a fantastic opportunity for me,” Alasdair told The Courier. ”I love playing golf and the chance to play in the same event as some of my heroes is just unbelievable.
”The Dunhill is a great event and it doesn’t get any better than playing in a championship on the Old Course. It will be a little nerve-wracking but I am really looking forward to it.”
Alasdair was born in Carlisle but moved to Drumoig with his family six years ago. Attending school in St Andrews, Alasdair joined SALJGA and quickly fell in love with the game. Two years ago his handicap was 13 but he is now playing off three.
Earlier this year he represented Scotland in the under-16 quadrangular internationals playing against Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy and Wales, and is also part of the national Scottish Golf Union squad.
Among the thousands of spectators expected to gather in St Andrews over the next few days will be Alasdair’s proud father Duncan, who now has an added incentive to watch the tournament.
”He really took to golf after moving St Andrews and I don’t think there could have been a better place for him to learn the game,” Duncan said. ”At the moment he is really enjoying his golf and playing in the Dunhill Links Championship will be such a great experience.”