Newly crowned BMW International Open champion Ewen Ferguson was considering skipping the Munich tournament to focus on the open qualifiers.
But a last-minute change of heart paid off big for the 28-year-old Scotsman, claiming his third DP World Tour victory and qualifying for Royal Troon Field as a bonus.
“As a golfer you don’t win very often but when you do it’s really special,” a delighted Ferguson told BBC Scotland.
“I wasn’t planning on playing in Germany, I was planning on playing in the Open Qualifiers. But then I withdrew from the Open Qualifiers, played in Germany and ended up in the Open!”
Having made his Open debut last year, he enters this time as one of the top five finishers in the top 20 in the Race to Dubai, but his place is not guaranteed.
With a weight lifted from his shoulders and a significant rise in his world ranking (from 168th to 104th), he goes into this week’s Scottish Open in high spirits.
“I’m excited to get out there and try,” he said.
“Last week I was looking forward to trying to get into the top 10 at my local Open and qualify for the Open. Now I can relax, play freely and see what I can do.”
Ferguson’s close friend Robert McIntyre was runner-up in last year’s Scottish Open, finishing one stroke behind Rory McIlroy after a thrilling final day in East Lothian.
Both Ferguson and McIntyre have risen through the ranks, with McIntyre’s success a source of joy and inspiration.
“Watching him win the Canadian Open was really cool,” he said. “You could see when he was stressed and how he handled it. It made me think, ‘I can be better, I can be better.'”
“I was so proud of him, but you’re also jealous and wishing it was you.
“Bob was one of the first people to email me when I won at the weekend and told me he was so happy for me and wanted me to keep going.”
Ferguson wants to follow MacIntyre into the PGA Tour and admits playing in America is his “ultimate goal”.
Vision and balance problems could have derailed Ferguson’s career but are now under control with the help of medication.
“It’s really disappointing because I thought I’d be back on the Challenger Tour next year,” he said of his recent health issues.
“It’s really tough to take weeks off, not get any points, watch your ranking drop and be replaced by your friends and peers.
“I also discovered that I love playing golf more than I thought I would.
“You take it for granted, and sometimes life feels too hard. But when you’re bored and sitting on the couch, you think, ‘Actually, I love going outside,’ even though it’s hard.”
