Dubai-based amateur golfer Oscar Craig insists he’s heading into the Scottish Challenge supported by the R&A with a positive mindset despite admitting his last few amateur tournaments have ‘not gone well’.
The 18-year-old, who is the stepson of two-time Ryder Cup winner Tommy Fleetwood, is returning to Challenge Tour action for the first time since making headlines at the UAE Challenge earlier this year.
With Fleetwood on his bag, Craig made the weekend on his Challenge Tour debut after posting rounds of 69 and 73 at the Gary Player-designed masterpiece, which saw him become the only amateur to make the cut that week.
Ahead of his second event on the DP World Tour’s feeder circuit the youngster has featured in numerous elite amateur tournaments, including The Amateur Championship and English Boys' Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
Both of those tournaments were played on links golf courses, and Craig will play on similar terrain this week despite The Hawkshill Course at Newmachar Golf Club being classed as a Heathland course.
The course measures over 6,700 yards and demands precision at every turn, with narrow tree-lined fairways requiring control off the tee and water features ready to collect wayward shots. Players will also have to contend with the strategic and plentiful bunkering set amongst the greens when hitting approach shots.
“I can’t wait - I’m really, really excited,” said Craig, who finished 288th at The Amateur Championship and 91st at the English Boys' Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
“It’s very different conditions wise to Abu Dhabi, but I feel like I’m preparing well. I’ve got my coach Euan here, and he knows a lot about Scottish golf, which is very handy.
“I wouldn’t say it’s good experience (on links courses). I’ve played all the amateur events this summer and it’s not gone well, but I’m not going into this week in a negative mindset. I’m still feeling positive and like anything can happen. The past is the past.”
Craig will also be spurred on by Fleetwood’s success at the Olympic Games golf competition at the weekend, with the Dubai resident claiming the silver medal at Le Golf National behind World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.
“I had the English Amateur so I wasn’t there, which was devastating,” said Craig, who received an invitation into this week’s tournament in Scotland.
“My mum asked me if I wanted to come out to Paris for the Sunday, and I wanted to, but I wasn’t able to make it. It was also my 18th birthday on Saturday, so I wanted to be at home for that.
“I was watching it all day, on the edge of my seat the whole time and I was loving it. It was so cool to see.
“To watch him go from struggling at Troon to coming second at the Olympics was the most impressive thing for me. He proved how good he is and showed one bad week doesn’t mean anything.”
While Craig and his stepdad won’t be linking up again this week, the 18-year-old revealed he learned a lot from their time together in Abu Dhabi.
“I remember very well everything that he was going through with me when he was on the bag, even just little things like reading the slopes on the green and from the fairway,” he said.
“I remember those things he did and am trying to put them into my game.
“I’ve got my coach Euan on the bag this week which is really handy because he knows my game really well and he’s very knowledgeable.
“I’m really looking forward to it!”
The Scottish Challenge supported by the R&A gets underway on August 8.
