By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman
The problem
about being truly passionate about something - in this case, covering
golf - is that it can be difficult to properly switch off every now and
again when the need arises.
It
required extreme measures, therefore, last week to ensure that happened
with this correspondent after a long but enjoyable stretch as Mrs
Dempster, with her husband's blessing I hasten to add, actually hid my
laptop.
As
she knows better than anyone, it is the only way to ensure that I can't
be tempted to respond to anything that might happening in the golf
world and, by the looks of things, last week was a good time to be off
as it seems that there was nothing really going on away with from the
tournament front.
I'm
pleased to report that, helped by a couple of games of golf, including a
memorable hit at Dumbarnie Links on one of those delightful autumn
days, my batteries have been suitably recharged and so has the one for
the laptop. That means we are ready and raring to go for a big few weeks
on the DP World Tour in particular but the Challenge Tour as well, with
that run starting this week with the main focus from the Scottish
perspective being on David Law.
Heading
into the Genesis Championship, the final regular event of the season on
the DP World Tour, the Aberdonian sits 130th in the Race to Dubai, with
114th being the provisional cut off for players to retain full card
membership.
It's a precarious position for Law, but, as this correspondent was
delighted to hear during a chat heading into the Betfred British Masters
at The Belfry at the start of the circuit's new 'Back 9 Swing' at the
end of July, his attitude about where he has found himself this season
has been absolutely brilliant.
There's
no point in shying away from the fact that I've not played good enough
this season," declared the 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open winner. "It's
certainly not been through lack of effort or lack of trying, but, for
one reason or another, it's not been happening."
At
that particular time, Law had just missed five cuts in a row and was
outside the top 150 in the season-long standings. He's since picked up
valuable points in six of his last seven starts by making it through to
the weekend, with a brace of top-30 finishes in Spain boosting his bid
to hang on to a card without having to face a return to the Qualifying
School in a few weeks' time.
The
way he is playing at the moment, that shouldn't be something that he
should dread if it did, indeed, happen but it goes without saying, of
course, that he'd prefer it didn't. Hence why he's travelled out to
Incheon along with compatriots Richie Ramsay, Calum Hill and Scott
Jamieson - they are all there for different reasons that we will get
round to - for a $4 million event starting on Thursday at the Jack
Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
"I
don't think you can switch off from it," admitted Law in our chat at
The Belfry. "It's not possible and, if you try to switch off from it,
you dilute yourself from the situation you are in. Sometimes you need to
meet it head on. That's the mindset we are in."
It
was the position Jamieson found himself before producing a big finish
when he needed it in the final regular event in Qatar 12 months ago to
keep his card, with David Drysdale having been another Scot who managed
to get himself out of jail, so to speak, in the card battle in 2021.
Absolutely
nothing would please this correspondent more than seeing Law also
finish above that all-important cut-off mark on this occasion because,
having enjoyed watching him come through the amateur ranks and then
being there, for instance, when he won the Northern Open as an amateur
and also the Scottish Challenge at Aviemore, I can tell you that we are
talking here about one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet.
That,
of course, comes from being part of a good family and, though she will
be watching from a far on this occasion instead of walking around the
course outside the ropes, here's hoping that Law's lovely wife, Natasha,
has something to celebrate on Sunday because, as lots of others in a
similar position at the moment would tell you, simply retaining that
full status would certainly merit that.
Law,
who is managed and mentored by Paul Lawrie, has held his card since
2019 and finished 49th in the Race to Dubai in 2022. At 33, his best
years can still lie ahead and he will know that better than anyone. That
brilliant attitude coupled with a timely improvement in his form can
hopefully get the job done for this season, albeit a lot later than he
would have liked.
As
for Ramsay, Hill and Jamieson, they are all in Korea aiming to achieve
different goals. Sitting 52nd in the standings, Hill has already secured
his spot in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which will involve the top
70 players in the first of two new Play-Off events in the UAE in a
fortnight's time.
He's
now aiming to be in the top 50 that will then tee up in the
season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. Meanwhile, Ramsay and
Jamieson, who sit 79th and 85th respectively, have the Abu Dhabi leg in
their sights in the first instance but, along with Ramsay, as well as
Bob MacIntyre, Ewen Ferguson, Connor Syme and Grant Forrest, are all
already safe as far as playing rights are concerned.
Unfortunately,
Stephen Gallacher already knows he will be heading for the
aforementioned Qualifying School but, ahead of his upcoming 50th
birthday and a crack at the Champions Tour to come later in the year,
the Junior Ryder Cup captain will tackle that test on this occasion with
a bit of a spring in his step.
Yeah,
it's great to be covering golf again, but, at the same time, thanks to
Mrs Dempster for allowing me to actually feel refreshed because, as the
golfers themselves will tell you, that really is so important.
