Scotland returns to the fore

Remember the name Zane Scotland?

Ten years ago he was the winner of a national newspaper competition to find Britain’s answer to Tiger Woods.

And eight years ago, just before his 17th birthday, he became the youngest-ever player to come through a qualifying event for the Open Championship.

Not much has been heard of him since that week, but less than a month before the Open returns to Carnoustie, Scotland is finally challenging for a European Tour title.

Yet to become a member of the circuit, the 24-year-old from Surrey won a French Open qualifier earlier this month and now, after rounds of 68 and 71 at Le Golf National near Paris, he is right in the thick of the battle for a first prize.

Not bad for someone whose best finish in 21 appearances is 50th, whose world ranking is 764th.

Going into the third round Scotland is in joint fourth place, one behind Ryder Cup stars Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley and two behind leader Simon Khan.

To be in such company is what Scotland has dreamt of ever since he was such a centre of attention at Carnoustie, that even after he had missed the cut with rounds of 82 and 81 and Woods came up to him and shook him by the hand.

“I stayed around and was on the driving range when he came over on the last day,” he recalls vividly. “I was too star-struck to ask for his autograph.

“I’d always been really shy, but that week fast-forwarded things for me and was a fantastic experience.

“I was unbelievably nervous walking to the first tee. I couldn’t feel my arms or my legs. Going down the ninth I was five or six over. It was not very good, but then I heard that Garcia had had an 89.

“I was more relaxed after that.”

Over the next three years Scotland received seven invitations to Tour events, but did not make the halfway cut in any of them.

Then, just as he was about to embark on his professional career he suffered a neck injury in a car crash – two vertebrae were knocked out of place – and only this season has he been able to start practising like he used to do.

“As an amateur everything had gone well. I won tournaments and went from strength to strength. Everything came pretty easy.

“Being immobile as a golfer is the worst thing in the world, but I just battled on.”

Scotland five times entered the Tour qualifying school, but never once made it to the final stage.

He is now on the “second division” Challenge Tour, but at 86th on their Order of Merit hardly knocking on the door of graduating to the main circuit.

Then came the French Open qualifier, which he won by three, and so far he has taken the opportunity brilliantly.

“I was pretty keyed up and I’m really pleased with how I’ve played so far. My expectations were to keep playing the way I had been – I didn’t know where that would leave him with a different standard of player here.

“Now the main thing this weekend is just to do the best I can.”