'He did himself proud' - Walker Cup captain on Scottish amateur shining in British Masters

The 22-year-old Royal Burgess player, who was the only amateur in the field at The Belfry, comfortably made the cut on his DP World Tour debut at The Belfry after opening with rounds of 71-70.

He then catapulted himself into the top ten on the back of a brilliant bogey-free 66 in Saturday’s penultimate circuit only to be left feeling “gutted” after a double-bogey 6 to finish on Sunday left him having to settle for a share of 19th behind Swede Alex Noren.

It was a terrific performance, nonetheless, from the Stephen Gallacher Foundation ambassador, who has been picked along with fellow Scots Connor Graham and Niall Shiels Donegan for the 50th edition of the Walker Cup at Cypress Point.

“I remember playing in the Bell’s Scottish Open at Gleneagles as an amateur and I missed the cut, but I didn’t realise how important that was until just prior to making the transition,” Dean Robertson, the Great Britain & Ireland captain for the contest in California, told The Scotsman.

“I think Cameron can be extremely proud of himself. I know he said he didn’t play well on Friday, but, in truth, who would be in his position? You are not used to being in a position like that and there’s obviously a little bit of tension there whether it be subconsciously or consciously.

“And, let’s not forget, he got over the line by making the cut by showing both great determination and great skill to do that.

“He felt freed up on Saturday and had a great round of golf then in the final round he has missed a lot of fairways but has battled away because he’s not quite had his best game then, at the last hole, he’s got a bit unlucky where his tee shot ended up in a bunker.

‘That’s an invaluable invite he’s had there’

“I think if he holed the putt at the last for a bogey he’d have been quite happy, but, you know what, he will be a much better golfer for that experience. That’s an invaluable invite he’s had there.”

Adam, who was born in Edinburgh and went to Merchiston School but now lives in Fife, was one of GB&I’s star performers in a St Andrews Trophy win over the Continent of Europe in Spain last month.

“I can’t say enough good things about Cameron,” added Robertson, a former DP World Tour winner who now does a brilliant job in helping to nurture young talent in his role at the head of golf at the University of Stirling. “In Madrid this year in the St Andrews Trophy, he was four out of four and performed brilliantly.

“But it’s not just his own golf. It’s what he brings to a team environment as well. Leaders emerged in Madrid, Cameron being one of them within the team room. There is no price on that.”

Adam headed straight from Birmingham to the US, where he will clear out his flat in Chicago after coming to the end of a four-year stint at Northwestern before meeting up with his team-mates later in the week.

“When we meet on Thursday night in San Francisco, the ones who were in Madrid have already had an unbelievable experience together last month and to be able to bring them together and have a day to chill out on Friday in San Francisco will be a great start to the trip,” said Robertson, who is being assisted for the biennial bout by long-time friend Raymond Russell.

“We are visiting Stanford (Tiger Woods’ alma mater) en route to the Monterey Peninsula and then on Saturday our preparation will really commence as we do a course walk of Cypress Point in the afternoon.”