DP World Tour rookie Cameron Adam feels 'there could be something good coming'

The 22-year-old Edinburgh man but now living in Fife secured his seat at the top table this year by winning a Global Amateur Pathway last season. Adam has secured five starts so far, making the cut in three of them to sit 125th in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

“It’s by no means where I want to be as the results haven’t quite been there,” he said. “But it’s a good building block and I am happy where a lot of my game is and there are definitely clear areas to improve. There’s big margins that can be improved and that’s the exciting part.”

In his latest outing, Adam opened with rounds of 70 and 69 to sit just outside the top 25 at the halfway stage in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters before having to settle for a share of 36th spot behind Patrick Reed following weekend scores of 72-73.

“I’m doing a lot of work with Matt [Belsham, his coach] and my swing is getting a lot better,” added last year’s St Andrews Links Trophy winner. “I’m getting a lot more control over various things and that is starting to show on the course even though it’s not quite come through totally in terms of results. There’s definitely signs there that there could be something good coming.”

Adam made his mark as an amateur in last year’s Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, sitting joint-fifth heading into the final round before having to settle for a tie for 19th spot in an event won by Alex Noren.

“It’s all been different,” he said of now teeing up on the circuit as a professional. “I made my debut on the DP World Tour after a long stretch without playing competitive golf, so it was a bit difficult in that respect. When I played in the British Masters, I’d come straight off a tournament. I find golf a lot easier when you can get into a rhythm and get four or five weeks in a row and can get firing towards the end of it.

‘That’s been the big learning curve’

“It’s been a bit different due to it being a bit stop start and not knowing when I am going to get into an event. That’s definitely the big learning curve and it’s about trying to get better about taking the opportunities when they come and possibly at short notice.”

Adam, who came through the Stephen Gallacher Foundation, has started out in the professional ranks with a former Scotland team-mate on his bag in Gregor Tait, a two-time beaten finalist in the Scottish Amateur Championship.

“Yeah, it’s a really valuable relationship for me,” admitted the left-hander, speaking as he returned to Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh to open a new Indoor Golf Centre. “He brings so much to the table for me and I think it is the perfect fit for me where I am right now. He’s learning; I’m learning. A load of the lads on tour have taken me in and helped me in the first few weeks and I know a load of the caddies have done that for him as well.

“It’s really good for me to have him there every week. He’s really clued in to what is going on in my swing and is super-involved in everything. Without putting words in his mouth, it was a great time for both of us. I was obviously moving on to the next stage and it was a good time for him. We are both excited about this going forward.”

‘The goal is to be in Dubai in November’

Adam, who is among a posse of Scots playing on the DP World Tour this season, resumes his season this week in the Magical Kenya Open but, due to the fact he’s unlikely to get into two events in South Africa after that, he will then have to wait until the Hainan Classic for another outing.

“I want to be in Abu Dhabi and Dubai at the end of the year,” he declared of the circuit’s two big-money Play-Off events - the Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship in Dubai - in November. “To be there, I know that results have to get better, but it’s step by step, day by day. If I can control what I can control the next day, week, month, it all falls into place. Yeah, the goal is to be in Dubai in November, but I’ve got to do the little bits well to be there.”

The proud Royal Burgess man has signed for Modest!Golf, joining Ewen Ferguson, Connor Syme and Hannah Darling on the books of Niall Horan’s management company. “Yeah, a load of Scots and a load of young players coming through as well,” he said of that decision. “Yeah, I am really happy with that and excited about what we can do going forward.”

Adam was speaking on a miserable wet day in Edinburgh yet, unlike most others, he didn’t seem to mind. “It’s not too bad when you’ve been in the desert since the first week in January,” he declared, laughing. “It’s quite nice to see something other than sand and sun!”