Over the past twenty-five years, I have been able to use my golf game as a barometer to see whether a player is developing at a pace which would give them a chance to make it on the Tour. You see, I made it onto the Challenge Tour and played a few European Tour Events. It was a ‘blink and you missed me’ career on the Tour but it gives me a really accurate way of assessing talented players. If you can’t beat me trouble lurks. If a player beats me easily then the player has a shot at the Tour. If, and only if, they stick at the task ahead whilst enjoying travelling.
The first player you might want to look up is Gary Boyd. He turned thirty this month but the first time I saw him play was at the 2002 Boys Home Internationals at Blairgowrie. He was chosen to represent an under 18 squad at age 15. Selectors have been known to be biased, they have been known to not know the difference between their proverbial and their elbow, but in this case Gary was head and shoulders above the rest of his squad, a definite bright light amongst some very talented players.
He played out of a course called Cherwell Edge and as such would go out number one in the scratch league matches. This is where my girlfriend, to become fiancée and now wife comes into the frame. I was re-established as an amateur in 2002 where I had to put three cards in and receive a handicap. I duly did and the handicap secretary at Whittlebury Hall awarded me a +3 handicap. This meant that I went out number one in scratch league matches.
For four consecutive matches I was dispatched without the clubhouse in sight, returning home to say that I had lost again. So when Fiona met Gary she was shocked at the youth in front of her, remarking when out of earshot, “Is that the Gary Boyd, the Gary Boyd you always lose to?” I replied as I often do to my wife, “Yes, dear,” Then came the killer statement, “But he’s just a boy! How can you lose to a boy?” My only answer was because he was very, very good.
Gary is coming over with his future in the balance due to an indifferent season where his only chance of retaining his card is a top five finish this week. Much like my second sparring partner Ryan Evans. We used to play for fivers at the county fixtures but unlike Gary, I did have an occasional success. However as time wore on and Ryan dedicated himself to his game, the fivers seemed to change direction. He then went from strength to strength, going through the gears in the global major amateur events eventually graduating from the Challenge to the European Tour in 2016. Ryan also needs a top five finish to save himself from the gladiatorial grind of Tour School next month.
Whilst there appears to be a lot of fanfare about this being the tenth Portugal Masters event, it could be argued that it is the weakest event yet. The event’s prize money has not increased over the past four events. When Lee Westwood won in 2009 the field was playing for a €2,994,560 prize fund compared to this year’s prize fund of €2,000,000.
That’s why the big names aren’t on the roster. They are taking a break from the game, spending time at home getting their games ready for the four-week bonanza of prize money where they play for $31,500,000. The mathematics is simple really.
However, a shake-up is apparently on the horizon due to the Oceânico sale last month. The word around the Algarve is that the intention is to bring the Portugal Masters back to its former glory. This can only be good for the event.
In the meantime, let’s hope for a fabulous tournament, a worthy winner and that Gary and Ryan have a good week. I hope you will forgive my bias.