The Open 2018: Scottish golf punching above its weight, says Scott Jamieson
- Published
Scott Jamieson plays the Open Championship for the fourth time this weekend
Scott Jamieson believes Scottish golf is in fine health, despite only one Scot ranking in the world's top 100.
Russell Knox, world number 49, is Scotland's sole representative in the highest-ranked century of golfers.
The "home of golf" has not produced a major winner since Paul Lawrie's Open Championship triumph in 1999.
"There are only so many seats, so many spaces on the European Tour for us," said Jamieson, one of 10 Scots to hold full European Tour membership.
"If you were to do numbers on how many guys we have on tour compared to our population, you compare that with other countries, I'd say we still do better than average.
"But there's been an emergence of golf from lots of other nations.
"We're seeing a lot of the spots taken by other nations, but I think at grassroots level we're in good shape. The work Scottish Golf do, Paul Lawrie and Stevie Gallacher through their foundations, those guys put in so much hard work and effort that there's definitely another generation coming.
"You certainly can't fault the hard work these guys are putting in. But it's not just elite level, we need to make sure there are a lot of junior golfers coming through no matter how good they are, keeping it going at all levels.
"Whether they're going to get to elite level or just be an avid golfer later in life, either way that's a winner."
The 34-year-old relocated to Florida in December, primarily to practice in more favourable weather conditions, but also because his wife is American.
World number 49 Russell Knox is the only Scot ranked in the world's top 100 golfers
Jamieson returned to his homeland this month as one of five Scots to compete in the Open at Carnoustie.
Having failed to make the cut at last weekend's Scottish Open, he joins Irish Open winner Knox, 1985 champion Sandy Lyle, Grant Forrest and teenage amateur Sam Locke on the Angus coast.
"Getting to play the Open wherever it may be is fantastic, but getting to do it in Scotland takes it up another level," Jamieson - who tees off on Thursday with Americans David Duval and Kevin Na - told BBC Scotland.
"My form has been a little up and down but I feel like my game's in a good place, so if I can just piece it all together in one week I think I'll be in good shape.
"It'd be very easy to over-prepare. You don't hide from the fact that it's a very big event but you still try and prepare as you would every other week. It's really easy to get sucked into the atmosphere and environment of the whole place. The key is to try and prepare as normal."
- Published11 July 2018
