There were worrying echoes of cut day at Royal Troon when the cut came and left a veteran who plays most of her golf in America as the lone Scot in the field.
At the Open a fortnight ago the only home hopes come the weekend were Paul Lawrie, the 46-year-old champion of 17 years earlier, Colin Montgomerie, a 53-year-old who opted to enter largely for sentimental reasons because it was on the course at which his father was once secretary and Russell Knoz, a 31-year-old who has spent his entire adult life in America.
That its representation depended wholly on the longevity of Catriona Matthew, who has spent more than 20 years playing in America and is the only Scottish woman to win a ‘major’ was, then, further reinforcement of the clear message that something has gone badly wrong in terms of player development in the place that calls itself ‘the home of golf.’
Multi-millions of pounds of government money, as well as commercial sponsorship having been poured into the sport’s development schemes over the past two decades it is evident that a re-think is required in terms of how it is spent and who is spending it since no Scot currently under the age of 40 has represented Europe in either the Ryder Cup or Solheim Cup.
Matthew, who was recently appointed vice captain for the European team for next year’s Solheim Cup in Iowa, admitted to some concern from the women’s perspective.
“It’s always a bit of a worry when there are not many (players coming through),” she said.
“I think we’ve got to try to get a few more on the LPGA Tour.”
As to this particular tournament, in which Kylie Walker and Pamela Pretswell, her only compatriots in the field, had no chance of making the cut after first rounds of 78 and 79 respectively, Matthew offered mitigation, not least because she is now the only Scot playing regularly in the USA, while there have only been three events on the Ladies European Tour this year.
“Obviously Pamela has been playing well and everyone can have a bad week,” she observed.
“There’s certainly quite a few of them there on the European Tour so hopefully a few can step up that little bit to the next level.
“It’s difficult, though, when you’re not playing much to suddenly come in and play against people who are playing week-in, week-out because you kind of lose that competition sharpness.”
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