Five Scots, including two from St Andrews, set for South Africa trip backed by Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation

Finlay Galloway hits an iron shot during the Genesis Scottish Open Pro-Am at The Renaissance Club on July 9, 2024. (Photo Chris Young/Scottish Golf).

Amateur aces ready for two major events and warm weather training camp

19 January 2026, St Andrews, Scotland - Scottish Golf: Five Scots, backed by Scottish Golf and the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation, are heading to South Africa to compete in two major amateur events.

Ewen Farquhar (St Andrews New), Finlay Galloway (St Andrews, pictured above), Kiron Gribble (Dunbar) and Dominic McGlinchey (The Renaissance Club) are in the field for the South African Amateur Championship at Pretoria Country Club from 25-30 January.

Farquhar, Galloway and Gribble will then be joined by Crail’s Andrew Davidson for the Golf RSA International Amateur (10-13 February) at Houghton Golf Club in Johannesburg.

Ewen Farquhar hits a drive during European Team Championships preparation at Blairgowrie Golf Club on July 3, 2024. (Photo by Chris Young/Scottish Golf)

These five golfers will be following a path treaded in the past by current tour players and former amateur internationals such as Daniel Young, Robert MacIntyre, Connor Syme, Grant Forrest and Ewen Ferguson.

Down the years, Scotland’s up-and-coming male amateur golfers have enjoyed great success on South African soil after taking full advantage of the opportunities presented by the Foundation, long-standing supporters of Scottish Golf’s performance teams.

Five Scots have won the South African Amateur Championship in the last 15 years – Gregor Graham (2024), Craig Ross (2016), Daniel Young (2015), Brian Soutar (2012) and Michael Stewart (2011).

Daniel Young during the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (Photo Matt Hooper)

Young, competing on the DP World Tour for 2026, believes the South African trip was for him – and remains for others – an important staging post on the road to the top.

He said: “These trips are so beneficial.

“We had a lot of success during my trips there when the winter weather in Scotland is not the best.

“To get down there, play some top-class courses, competing with some of the best amateurs in the world can only benefit the guys.

“After those trips, you are prepared and can hit the ground running compared to guys who didn’t have that luxury.”

Two Scots have also won the Proudfoot Trophy which is awarded to the leading qualifier from the 36-hole stroke play qualifying in the South African Amateur Championship – Rory Franssen in 2016 and Greig Marchbank the previous year.

For 2026, new men’s national coach Scott Wilson will oversee the squad alongside fellow coach Oliver Morton with John Rushbury acting as team captain.

In addition to playing two events and maximising the opportunity to use warm-weather training facilities, the players will play an annual friendly match against Golf RSA and the South African Golf Development Board on 6 February.

Finlay Galloway – the reigning Scottish Boys’ Amateur champion – will experience South Africa for the first time on this trip and is excited at the prospect. Ironically, in October, Galloway was the one supporting Dunhill. The 18-year-old volunteered to act as a scorer at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews won by fellow Scot MacIntyre.

Galloway said: “It’ll be really good.

“I’ve spoken to quite a lot of people who have been on the trip and you also look to see past players who have been on the trip and where they are now.

“I’m really looking forward to it.

“It’s about adding bits of experience here and there and trying to build it all up."