As the 2024 season begins – and having profiled some of the region’s leading mini tour players last season, including Rhys Thompson, who went on to break records on the Tartan Pro Tour and earn a Challenge Tour card – we catch up with eight young professionals as they head out on tour
James Wilson
Age: 24
Turned pro: 2021
Attachments & sponsors: Tyneside Golf Club, IBS Security Solutions, Winn Group, BBS Golf, Northern Ball Markers
Tell us about your 2023 season: “2023 was definitely a step in right direction, particularly when you factor in the four Asian Tour events I played. Apart from those, I didn’t play a great deal outside the North East, but my game was sharp when I teed it up and I managed to win 10 times and top the NE/NW PGA’s Mizuno Order of Merit, so it was a solid year overall. The highlight was making four cuts on the Asian Tour – starting with qualifying for the International Series event at Close House before getting an invite to St Andrews. I had an awesome event in Scotland and was in the mix on Sunday, sitting at the top of the leaderboard after nine holes. The leaders ultimately chased me down, but finishing in a tie for eighth earned me the biggest cheque of my career and invites to Singapore and Taiwan – which were both incredible experiences. My game held up at venues like Fairmont St Andrews and in Asia with very strong fields, which was a positive step forward.”
What are your plans in 2024? “I’ll play a full schedule on the Tartan Pro Tour, and with a bit of luck a couple of Asian Tour events if I’m lucky enough to get invites or qualify. I’ll also be heading back to qualifying school for both the DP World Tour and Asian Tour, and I’ll be trying to make it to The Open for the first time through qualifying. I think it’s time to step up and play a full season in Scotland, especially now there’s two cards up for grabs on the Challenge Tour. I’ll need to play well to earn one of those, but I think I can do it. I’ve made some good progress this winter, working with my new swing coach James Maw on some big, positive changes. I’ve also been a lot more committed to my practice and grown my team with the addition of sports psychologist Chris Kirkland, who’s already made a positive impact. I’m in a good place and I’m looking forward to what the season has in store for me.”
Jack Ainscough
Age: 24
Turned pro: 2022
Attachments & sponsors: Applebridge Family, Golfpod, PING, Wynyard Golf Club, Essential Wills, Sight Construction, Rookes Property Investments
Tell us about your 2023 season: “Having turned pro in October 2022 and played in DP World Tour Qualifying School, I decided to go over to Asia and play some professional golf with a couple of the guys from Thailand that I’d lived with at college in Colorado. I ended up playing on seven different tours in Asia, including the Asian Development Tour and the All Thailand Golf Tour. While I made some good prize money and learned so much about being a professional golfer, I think I spread myself a bit too thin and didn’t manage to make the step up to the next level at the end of it. Playing in Asia, particularly in Thailand where the grain is so tough to get your head around, definitely made be a better golfer than I was the year before. I was also playing with so many good players from the Asian Tour and even LIV – and when you have a sweep and your own money is on the line, you need to focus and play well. If I was to do it again, I’d definitely focus my time more, not have as many runs of six or seven tournament weeks back to back, and be more diligent with my scheduling to give myself the best chance to progress through one or two tours.”
What are your plans in 2024? “I’m back home in the UK after playing in Saudi Arabia and Thailand in December. I’ve spent the winter working on my game with Nick Huby at The Peter Cowen Golf Academy and progressing in the gym. I’ve also been building the businesses I run with my brother – Jacks Golf Academy and Yakka Strength – which allow me to make professional golf my number one priority. My focus will be on the Tartan Pro Tour in Scotland, with a few 2020protour events added in. After six years in the US and Asia, I’m looking forward to playing plenty of links golf on home soil this summer and progressing through the ranks in Europe.”
Matty Lamb
Age: 26
Turned pro: 2021
Attachments & sponsors: Brampton Golf Club, Hexham Golf Club, Callaway, FMG Consulting
Tell us about your 2023 season: “There weren’t as many highlights as I’d have liked in 2023, but it was important to take what I could out of the season. I really struggled in 2022, and at start of last season I needed to spend time getting my game back together. Having done some of that work, I had some average results on the Clutch Pro Tour, but was still not playing to the level I wanted to. I did get a win locally on the NE/NW PGA circuit, which was great, but overall last season was a struggle. While that covers the results side of things, I did some good work with my coaches – Andy Paisley and Rob Watts – and while there wasn’t a lot of on-course progress I’d say I progressed with my game and had some decent scores towards the end of the year to back up the hard work.”
What are your plans in 2024? “My game is getting back to where it should be after struggling so much with it and having it affect my confidence. I’ve come through that and focussed on some technical areas I wanted to get better while creating a plan to get to the level I want to in terms of hitting fairways and greens in tournament conditions. I’ve learned so much about the golfer I want to be through that process, made a lot of swing progress, and I want to continue that this year. I’ve played some events already on the Toro Tour in Spain to start the season, and I’m playing a lot more of the golf I should be. I want to get back to playing a full schedule this year, and I hope I’ll have opportunities to play on the Challenge Tour through my management company. From there, I’ll be focusing on the Clutch Pro Tour while adding in some local NE/NW PGA events. My aim for the season is simple – to get a Challenge Tour card. That will either be through doing well in any starts I get, the Clutch order of merit, or Qualifying School at the end of the season.”
Jonny Douglas
Age: 25
Turned pro: 2023
Attachments & sponsors: Close House
Tell us about your 2023 season: “Coming back from college and making three out of four cuts as a professional on the Asher Tour in the US, I was in a good place to start the year. I had a solid top-10 in the first event too, but from there I had some swing struggles – particularly with the driver – and only had one more top-10 on the Tartan Pro Tour at Pollok. Though that limited what I achieved in terms of results, I learned a lot about being a professional golfer and the importance of understanding the difference between what you do in practice and what you do in tournaments. While I managed to have good scores, I think I was trying too hard and couldn’t make the transition from the range to the golf course with a clear, simple plan. The key going forward is playing golf, not golf swing.”
What are your plans in 2024? “I have a really clear view of what I want to do on the golf course, and in the early events of the season I’ve been taking my game to the course so much better. My focus will be on the Tartan Pro Tour, with a few Clutch Pro Tour and 2020protour events, plus Asian Tour and Open Championship qualifying when they come up. After that, my first plan is to play Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School in the US as I think that style of golf suits me best. I’ll also be entering DP World Tour Q School in France. Those weeks are so important for mini tour players as they’re the ones which can change your whole season in an instant. To try and achieve that, I’ve switched swing coaches to James Wilson, which has been really good so far – he has a great way of looking at my swing and getting me into the positions I want to see. I’ve also been working hard on my flexibility and speed in the gym, which has put me in a better position to make the golf swing and boosted my swing speed by 8mph this winter. It’s been a little while since I was winning events in college and I want to get that feeling back this season.”
Sam Westwood
Age: 22
Turned pro: 2022
Attachments & sponsors: Close House, PING
Tell us about your 2023 season: “Last season was my first full one as a professional and it was interesting to be out there finding my bearings and learning what goes into being a professional golfer for myself. As the season went on I got more comfortable, and overall it was good fun. I threw myself in at the deep end, enjoyed being around lots of guys from the North East, and tried to take every opportunity to speed up the process of learning what goes into playing high-level golf. Learning from failure, rather than wallowing in it, was really important. Having not played a lot of elite amateur golf and not even had a handicap until 2017, I struggled in my early starts through a lack of experience. I learned from every one of those tough events though and as I got more comfortable, I made a few cuts and came out of the year as a far better golfer.”
What are your plans in 2024? “My main focus will be the Clutch Pro Tour. I really enjoyed the Tartan Pro Tour last year and I’ll play a few events in Scotland, but given the distribution of Challenge Tour cards [three for the Clutch order of merit and two for the Tartan] I had to pick one to focus on. It’s going to be busy, with 4-6 events every month and more than 30 tournaments over the summer including a few 2020protour and Alps Tour events, plus Open Qualifying at Goswick. I’ll also be heading to DP World Tour Q School, so there’s a lot coming up. I’m trying to play as much golf as possible and build on what I learned in 2023.”
Will Marshall
Age: 24
Turned pro: 2023
Attachments & sponsors: Heworth Golf Club, Armstrong Renewables, Marshalls Golf, Caztec Group, Tyneside Home Improvements
Tell us about your 2023 season: “I was happy overall with my first year as a professional. I ended the season in 19th place in the Tartan Pro Tour order of merit – making 11 cuts in the 13 events and having my best finish [fifth place] at Downfield. Making those cuts and competing week-in and week-out was great in my first season, and then adding my first win as a pro on the 2020protour at Huddersfield was the icing on the cake. It’s a change turning pro and it was a good feeling to get over the line and win for the first time. I also qualified for the Asian Tour’s International Series event at Close House and being part of an event with Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter – and playing it in the North East – was amazing. As well as all those results, I think I’ve massively improved my game and learned a hell of a lot. You’ve got to step it up when you turn pro and I think I did that last season.”
What are your plans in 2024? “I’ve started the year with three months in Portugal, playing seven events, and I’m happy with where my game is. I picked up four top-10 finishes and shot a total of 45 under-par for those seven tournaments, with just one over-par round, so I know my game is sharp and ready to go when the Tartan Pro Tour season gets going in May. Playing up in Scotland will be my focus this year, with those events shaping my schedule while I’ll add a few 2020protour events in when I’m not north of the border. Building on last season and my start to 2024, my goal this year is to finish in the top-two on the Tartan order of merit and earn a Challenge Tour card for 2025. I’ve been pushing myself in the gym to improve my speed this winter and I’ve been lucky enough to have access to the simulator at Marshalls Golf to keep my game sharp, so I’m raring to get out there and put my game to the test.”
Ben Bailey
Age: 24
Turned pro: 2019
Attachments & sponsors: Beal Hire, Country Valley Foods, PCE Ltd
Tell us about your 2023 season: “Last season was really one of two halves. I made a lot of progress with my game and understanding the professional golfer I want to be, but the results certainly weren’t what I was looking for. Having struggled for consistency in the early part of the year, I made the decision to switch from hitting a draw to go back to playing with a fade, eliminating the left side miss and becoming a far more efficient golfer than I had been. That change took time and a lot of work with my coach, Andrew Nicholson at Wynyard, but it yielded some positive rounds towards the end of the year and we’ve continued the work through the winter months. I’m certainly a better golfer having gone through that tough period and made the big change my game needed. With money tight, I didn’t get to any qualifying schools at the end of the year, but that’ll certainly be a priority going forward.”
What are your plans in 2024? “I’ll be focusing my time on the Tartan Pro Tour in Scotland again in 2024, and I’m really looking forward to it having made so much good progress. My focus this season is to take everything I learned last year out onto the course and start turning that into tournament rounds and results. At the end of the year, I’ll also be heading to the Asian Tour and DP World Tour qualifying schools, which offer so many opportunities to step up to the next level if I don’t manage to secure that through a top-two finish in the Tartan order of merit.”
Christian Brown
Age: 27
Turned pro: 2021
Attachments & sponsors: Close House
Tell us about your 2023 season: “Overall, I played a lot more consistent golf in 2023 than I had in previous seasons, which is great in the long term, but didn’t give me lots of those standout weeks where I felt like I was in contention with a chance to win. I played particularly well at Pollok on the Tartan Pro Tour, and at the First Stage of Qualifying School for the DP World Tour. I managed to carry that forward into Second Stage in Spain for three of the four rounds, with just a slow start holding me back from making it all the way to Final Stage. Those results, particularly at Q School, highlighted how much progress I’ve made with my swing in the last 12 months. With some good work this winter, particularly on my short game, I know I’m in a good spot.”
What are your plans in 2024? “I started the year in Spain and my focus this season will be the Tartan Pro Tour with a few Clutch Pro Tour events mixed in along with Open Qualifying at Goswick. I’ve had some good results in Scotland in the last couple of years and I know I can win, it’s just a case of getting the job done now. It would be great to emulate what Rhys Thompson did in 2023 and get a Challenge Tour card through the order of merit, but failing that I’ll be heading back to Q School with a lot of confidence given what I did last season. I’ve played a lot of golf with Rhys over the years and seeing what he did inspires me to push on and make the same step up this season.”
