Winning was great but Ewen is eyeing Major breakthrough
Ewen Ferguson is revelling in his status as a winner on the DP World Tour. But his next quest is simple – to have more of it.
Ferguson joined the winners’ circle when he came through on the final day to clinch the Qatar Masters in March.
Victory gave the Glasgow golfer a two-year exemption and completed a spectacular leap, having only gained his card via a top-15 finish on the 2021 Challenge Tour.
With his playing privileges secured, the 25-year-old can attack the rest of the season in the hope of more super Sundays.
“Winning in Qatar still feels like an amazing achievement,” he told The
Sunday Post. “But I want more. I enjoyed it so much, and being in contention was so much fun.
“Being able to hit the shots under pressure that you have played and practised all your life, it doesn’t get any better than that.
“You feel a sense of reward. It’s the best experience.
“The feeling of pegging it up on the first tee of a tournament is great, and it’s what you’ve always wanted. But having a chance down the stretch is so good.”
What made Ferguson’s success in the desert all the more impressive was that it came just three weeks after he missed a chance to win in Kenya.
Having a four-shot lead after three rounds, he slumped to a 76 and finished eighth as his dreams of a maiden win evaporated.
But when the opportunity arose in Qatar, the Challenge Tour graduate was the last man standing in the windy conditions.
“The way things unfolded, Kenya was a pretty down moment, one day after holding a four-shot lead after 54 holes,” he reflected. “But to get myself in that position was quite impressive.
“At that moment, you don’t know if you can pull it off, and it’s hard to win.
“Not many players get the
chance to finish it. So to get over the line a few weeks later felt special.”
Ferguson is one of an increasing list of Scottish winners on the Tour. He joined Bob Macintyre, Grant Forrest and Calum Hill as first-time champions in the last 18 months.
And that sense of camaraderie and rooting for each other has helped Ewen to settle so quickly on the main tour.
“All of the Scots boys are good friends,” he says. “And we’re pushing each other on and we keep doing well.
“You want them to shoot 65 – and you to shoot 64! That’s the beauty of golf.
“I’m really close to a couple of the guys, and I remember the way they rooted for me when I won – Bob, Calum, Connor Syme.
“They all texted me straight away. They were so supportive and really there for me, and I’ll do the same for them.
“I’ve got a lot of friends out here, and that’s helped me to feel at home.
“I’m trying to play a lot of events this year. I like playing and also because I’m seeing courses for the first time.
“I have a free hit in that respect for the rest of the year, and I’ll be able to gauge what I like and don’t like, and what works for me.”
Ferguson can look forward to the biggest events on the DP World Tour, like the Scottish Open at Renaissance next month and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth later in the summer.
But, having become a winner, he knows what the next step must be – playing a Major. That includes the hottest ticket in the game, the 150th Open at St Andrews.
“I want to get in some of the Majors,” he added. “You want to push yourself in that company, and see where you can get better.
“You can see how your game stands up under pressure and what you’re good at doing.
“I’ve tried not to get too caught up in how I get to The Open. I know the way the game works – if you control your things, things work out for you.
“If I’m playing well, I’ll get in one way or another.”