A place in the South African sun helps Euan to shine

It could not have been more fitting. Talented young amateur Euan Walker had one of the biggest days of his young golfing life when he won the African Amateur Championship in February 2019, at Leopard Creek.

Fitting, because Leopard Creek, the dramatic golf course on the edge of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, is the home of the Alfred Dunhill Championship each December.

And Euan, 23, was only playing in the event thanks to the long-time support which Scottish Golf receives from the UK-based Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation to provide funds to allow Scottish players to compete in the South African sun during the cold Scottish winters.

The Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation has supported the work of Scottish Golf for many years and Euan, who plays at Barassie, near Kilmarnock, is just one of the latest to benefit.

After his victory at Leopard Creek, he was grateful for the support he had received and said: “It feels absolutely amazing because it is something that I have been working towards my whole life, and particularly in the last two years. It’s a fulfilment of a lot of hard work that I put in.”

Thanks to the continued support from the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation, Scotland’s amateur squads can afford to journey to the warmer climes of South Africa to compete and build for the season ahead. These initiatives are also supported by national team sponsors Aberdeen Standard Investments and sportscotland.

Players such as European Tour members Connor Syme and Bradley Neil are among those who gained valuable experience during their amateur careers.