Scottish golfer lands biggest win of career in US event

Mukherjee, who is a member of Gullane and lives at Craigielaw, landed the title in a three-man play-off at Mission Resort + Club at Howley-in-the-Hills, north-west of Orlando.

He opened with a par-72 on the El Campeon course before adding a three-under 68 on the neighbouring Las Colinas course. In the final round on El Campeon, he found himself three shots off the lead at the turn before storming him in three under to sign off with another 72.

Thanks to picking up shots at the 11th, 14th and 17th holes in his strong closing salvo, Mukherjee posted a three-under-par total to finish alongside American Nolan Harper (72-70-70) and Canadian Eddie Gu (71-74-67).

The former Loretto School pupil then rolled in a lengthy birdie putt at the first extra hole to claim victory in an event that was being held for the fifth time during the Thanksgiving break season in the US.

“Really, really fun day,” said Mukherjee. “Got off to a pretty tricky start, played pretty scrappy the first six holes but then just flipped a switch and turned it on on the back nine. I had a nice birdie in the play-off to win it, which was really fun.

“On the first day, I hit the ball really well, ball striking was great but the putter was pretty cold. Then day two kind of came out and it flipped for the first few holes. I was holing putts to keep myself in the round and was hitting the ball great on the back nine and managed to post three under.

“Today was kind of similar. Just scrapped it around and hung on at the start. I made some really good clutch par putts and a couple of clutch bogey putts as well. Then turned it on on the back nine, hitting the ball much better.

“Coming into the week I had a vision of myself holding the trophy at the end of the week and I kind of really believed I was capable of winning and I kept that belief throughout.”

“Great play, great passion Sam!” wrote Mukherjee’s dad Robin, who was caddying for him, in a post on X of the family’s latest notable triumph.

Sam also won the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship just under a year ago while his twin brother, Ollie, landed the Scottish Amateur Championship at Gailes Links in 2022 and Cameron, a younger brother, is a former Scottish Boys’ Under-14 champion.

Sam and Ollie are both in their freshman year at Duke University in North Carolina and have also both been named in the Scottish Golf men’s squad for the 2025 campaign.

This win will secure a leap up the World Amateur Golf Ranking for Sam, who was sitting 1888th in the standings heading into the event after finishing 70th in his only counting event so far on the US college circuit in a home event for Duke players, the Rod Myers Invitational, in September.

Two-time Scottish Amateur Championship finalist Gregor Tait was also in the field for the Sunshine State Amateur Championship, finishing joint-15th on five over with rounds of 76-73-71.