Exclusive:Sandy Scott opens up on 'turbulent but amazing' rise to PGA Tour and 'unique' marriage to fellow pro

In an exclusive interview with The Scotsman, Scott also opened up on how he’d “kicked the a*** out of it” on Sunday night with his fellow Highlander, Russell Knox, as he celebrated his new status and having his sights set on finishing the season as the Korn Ferry Tour No 1.

In addition, the Nairn man talked openly about the challenge of him playing in the US and his wife Amy - the couple were married near Edinburgh last December - being a professional golfer as well on the Ladies European Tour.

Scott secured his PGA Tour card for the 2027 season after landing a maiden Korn Ferry Tour win on Sunday in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in Columbus, Ohio, becoming the seventh player this season from the second-tier circuit to be confirmed as ‘TourBound’.

“Oh, it’s been a whirlwind after taking two flights, the first one at 6am, and now I’m in Florida,” admitted Scott. “But I still managed to kick the a*** out of it on Sunday night (laughing). It was me and Russell. Yeah, it was great. It’s been surreal having him out on the Korn Ferry Tour with me this year as we are from the same place yet never really met when we were back in Scotland. He’s been fantastic to be around as he’s a kid at heart (laughing).”

Scott won the Scottish Boys’ Open in 2015, succeeding Ewen Ferguson as the champion in that event after MacIntyre had claimed the crown two years earlier. His game flourished during a spell at Texas Tech and, again, he followed in the footsteps of both Ferguson and MacIntyre by playing in a Walker Cup.

However, Scott underwent two separate surgeries after tearing ligaments in his right wrist and was unable to play golf at all for around 18 months. The issue flared up again earlier this year. “Yeah, it’s crazy looking back,” admitted the 28-year-old and a lovely lad. “It’s been a turbulent but amazing journey and I am really happy to be in this position that I am now.”

Had he feared his career could have been over? “Oh, absolutely,” he added. “Multiple times during that time I thought I might never play golf again. So it is amazing to experience some success like this. And to compare it to the low times I had just makes it feel even sweeter.”

Scott, who graduted to the Korn Ferry Tour last year via the PGA Tour Americas, is coached by Murray Urquhart, a fellow Highlander who played on both the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour for a spell. “Murray and I started working together pretty much when I turned pro,” he said. “I was looking for someone to lean on on the technical space and kind of bounce ideas off and Murray was excellent, having played tour golf himself for 10-11 years. He has been a staple for this whole progression I have made. Yeah, I can’t thank Murray enough.”

‘It’s pretty unique what we are doing’

The same goes for his agent and what a year it has been for Ian Keenan, who also manages Open champion Ryan Fox for Wasserman. “Ian is just fantastic,” said Scott. “When I got injured and things were looking iffy for me, it changed nothing with him. He was extremely consistent through it all, emphasising that ‘we are playing the long game here’ and he just wanted the best for me.”

As, of course, did his wife, with Scott and Amy Taylor having met when they were both at Texas Tech and Taylor, who turned professional in 2022, landing her maiden LET win in the 2024 Ladies Italian Open. “It’s pretty unique what we are doing,” said Scott. “We are both playing professional golf on different tours. It adds a challenge for us just in terms of meeting up in random spots around the globe. I think she would agree that we have done a much better job this year of putting our relationship first.

“At the beginning, we were both focused on getting our careers going and we’ll see each other when we can. But I think this year we’ve made more of an effort to put us first. I’m happy that we are seeing each other more. It’s made our relationship better and I’m also feeling better about my golf through being at peace with that side of my life. Yeah, she’s been amazing as well and my family has been very supportive, too.

“I’ve been very lucky. I had a great support system at Texas Tech - the coaches, the support staff, there were some donors who were able to help me get started on my pro journey and I keep in touch with them weekly. I’ve got a great tight-knit support system. I am just very grateful for everybody that is around me. I feel very lucky to have the support I have.”

With two $1.5 million events remaining, including a season-ending Tour Championship in Virginia, Scott is up to second on the Korn Ferry Tour points list. “I’d like to win the Order of Merit,” he declared. “I think that would be a great goal for these final two events of the season. Yeah, I am just going to keep pushing.”

One of his top off-season priorities will be finding somewhere to call home in the US before setting out with MacIntyre on the 2027 PGA Tour campaign, which starts in California in January. “It is kind of a pinch-me-moment when you look at where we both grew up but have both managed to excel in golf and get to the PGA Tour,” said Scott of him and Oban man MacIntyre.

“Wee boys from a couple of small towns in Scotland, I mean it is pretty special. That was always my dream to make it to the PGA Tour and I think this is a great stepping stone for being able to compete out there and strive for more success.”