James Heath had been in the golfing wilderness for so long you half expected a search party to be mobilised. Yesterday at Macdonald Spey Valley, the 33-year-old emerged triumphant from a prolonged period of trials and tribulations by winning the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge.
A decade after his one and only victory on the second-tier circuit, Heath galvanised his career in the highlands as he bridged a 10-year title gap with a closing three-under 68 for a record-setting 21-under tally of 263 and a two shot win over New Zealand’s Ryan Fox.
Already drookit by the rain that came on in the afternoon, Heath certainly didn’t mind the additional soaking he received from a fellow pro as he got sprayed with bubbly on the final green. “I prefer drinking it,” said Heath with a jubilant smile after picking up a cheque for around £32,000.
It was an emotional moment for the former protégé of Nick Faldo. His mother passed away earlier this year and the general demoralising dunts that this fickle game can dole out began to take a toll.
"It's been a very tough year and it was nice to do something like this for the family and for mum,” said Heath, who became the third successive English champion and the sixth in the 11 stagings of the event. "I genuinely wasn't going to play this week. I finished the event in France last weekend after a double-bogey on my 17th hole and I had had enough.
“But I had a pep talk from my brother on Monday and he gave me some tough love. The conversation was the best thing that could have happened. It really narrowed my focus.”
Heath had led by one overnight but there was plenty of menace behind him. Fox, the son of former All Blacks rugby great Grant, showed he was up for the title fight as he unleashed the heavy artillery with a series of booming drives on the first three holes which spawned a trio of early birdies. Jordan Smith, the former Walker Cup player, also made a final day surge and his seven-under 64 gave him a chance.
Heath kept his head, though, and a raking birdie putt of 30-feet on the 12th staved off the advances. Even Fox’s late eagle on the 17th en route to a 64 couldn’t ruffle Heath’s feathers.
"Did I feel any pressure?,” he added. “Probably from the time I woke up at 5.40 in the morning with my stomach churning. But it’s great to feel that. The hardest thing is getting into contention but when I do, I love it. It’s been a good few years in the wilderness but hopefully this can be a springboard.”
A total of 28 Scots started the event but only two – George Murray and Paul McKechnie - made the cut. Murray, the champion in 2010, shared 21st on nine-under and was awarded the Douglas Lowe Memorial Trophy as the best placed home hopeful.
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