Connor McKinney wins again back on Scottish soil - and this time it's a first pro victory

In his final event of the season on the Scottish-based circuit, McKinney pipped Bruntsfield Links-attached Eric McIntosh in a thrilling title battle in the Musselburgh Masters presented by Alistair Brown International.

After opening with rounds of 65-66, McKinney signed off with a 67 to finish with a 12-under-par total, winning by a shot from McIntosh after the former Scottish Boys’ champion posted scores of 67-65-67.

“It was a good day, for sure,” admitted McKinney, who picked up a cheque for £4500. “It’s my first win as a pro, having taken two-and-a-half years and it was a cool moment.”

The Kirkcaldy-born player secured his Challenge Tour card in 2024 but, after only making six cuts in 20 starts on the second-tier circuit, finished 170th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings.

“I would say it was overdue,” he added of his breakthrough in the paid ranks. “I definitely had a bit of a - I’m not sure slump is the right word - but a bit of a slow year on the Challenge Tour last year.

“I was just trying to find my feet and I felt I was trying to do that all year. But I feel I have come out the other side and feel better for it.

“I’ve had to lean on a lot of people. My coach, Dave Milne, while my family have also been very supportive. I’ve had a good team around me to help me through it.”

The Joondalup-attached player closed with a bogey-free effort on a fiery Monktonhall course, where James Morgan and Will Marshall shared third spot on ten under.

“The goal in the last round was to be bogey-free and I am just happy that I was able to execute that well,” said McKinney, having signed for birdies at the fourth, fifth and 15th while McIntosh’s closing card contained four birdies and one bogey. “It was fiery alright - the ball wouldn’t stop. But it was good.”

Unfortunately for McKinney, he will not be able to try and add to his title triumph in the remaining events on the HotelPlanner Tour feeder circuit this season.

“It seems like every year it has gone from strength to strength,” he said of the Tartan Pro Tour, which was set up by Paul Lawrie to provide playing opportunities for Scottish-based players during the Covid pandemic. “Yeah, to get Official World Golf Ranking points in these events is pretty impressive and it is good to be part of it.

‘Goal is to secure DP World Tour card and be on my way’

“However, this is my last one on the Tartan Pro Tour for this season, unfortunately, so it is good to finish on a high.”

“I have the DP World Tour Q-School First Stage in Belgium in a couple of weeks and hopefully I can secure a card and be on my way - that’s the goal.

“Then the Aussie season will kick in after that and I’ll see where it takes me. I’ve got a full card in Oz at the moment and that is good, especially after losing my Challenge Tour card last season.

“I still had somewhere to play and perform and try to keep moving forward, I guess. But it’s good playing on different tours as you are playing in different conditions and that is helping me pick up different bits of information.”

McKinney has now won two events in the country of his birth after landing the St Andrews Links Trophy when he was still in the amateur ranks in 2022.

“I have some relations in Scotland, but I am staying with some family friends in Kinross,” he said. “They’ve been awesome and they live on the golf course, so it’s a good spot. Greg McSporran, the PGA pro, has been allowing me use of the two courses, so it’s been great.”

McIntosh, who has also been playing on the Asian Development Tour this season, has now finished fourth and second in his last two outings on the Tartan Pro Tour.

With five events remaining, Liam Johnston and Rory Franssen are leading the points race in the battle for two HotelPlanner Tour cards in 2026.