Where is Scottish golf at start of 2026 campaign around the world

The DP World Tour calendar campaign starts this week with the Dubai Invitational while the Sony Open in Hawaii marks the beginning of the new PGA Tour season. Three Scots are also currently in action on the Korn Ferry Tour in the Bahamas.

The headline name in the Scottish game at the moment, of course, is Bob MacIntyre and let’s not beat about the bush when it comes to the Oban man because he has established himself as a needle mover in the sport’s cradle and understandably so.

It’s fantastic that he’s setting out in 2026 sitting inside the top ten in the Official World Golf Ranking and, fuelled by last year’s US Open runner-up finish in particular but other eye-catching performances in the game’s marquee events as well, his top goal this year is winning a major.

Yes, of course, that will be tough to achieve, especially at a time when you’ve got Scottie Scheffler around and Rory McIlroy looking as though he could kick on after winning The Masters last year to become just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam. Tommy Fleetwood, too, because you get the feeling that he’s just getting started after winning the FedEx Cup last year.

11 Scots teeing up on DP World Tour as card holders

However, MacIntyre is 100 per cent right to believe that he’s got the game to land one of the sport’s most-coveted titles and exciting weeks lie ahead for the 29-year-old at Augusta National then Aronimink, Shinnecock Hills and Royal Birkdale for the PGA Championship, US Open and The Open the respectively.

Helped by MacIntyre’s win on home soil in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, we saw Scottish players enjoy their best season on the DP World Tour last season for close to 25 years as titles also fell to Calum Hill (Joburg Open), Connor Syme (KLM Open) and Grant Forrest (Nexo Championship). Ewen Ferguson will feel his name should have been on that list as well after an opportunity slipped through his hands in the Soudal Open.

All seven Scots who started out with DP World Tour cards in 2025 retained their full status, with that number having been increased to 11 for the current campaign as David Law, Daniel Young and Euan Walker graduated from the Hotel Planner Tour while Cameron Adam earned his status through topping the Global Amateur Pathway Ranking.

For Hill, Syme, Forrest and Ferguson, the big goal in 2026 will be to try and secure PGA Tour status for next season while, at the same time, attempt to break into the top 100 in the world rankings because, for the talent we have at the moment, it is slightly disappointing that MacIntyre doesn’t have at least one of his compatriots for company.

I’ve also got a feeling that big years could lie ahead for Richie Ramsay and Scott Jamieson, both of whom have lots of DP World Tour experience under their belt and will be fuelled by failing to take their 2025 campaigns all the way to the finishing line.

After three fruitless campaigns, it was a boost to see Scots stepping up again last year from the Hotel Planner Tour, with Law, helped by two wins, leading the way and, bearing in mind he’s already tasted success on the main tour, there’s good reason to believe that a strong year could lie ahead for the talented Aberdonian.

What about the women’s professional game? By a country mile, our leading light is Gemma Dryburgh, who continues to do herself and her country proud on the ultra-competitive LPGA and the new mum will be hoping to take up in 2026 where she left off at the end of a strong finish to last season.

Hannah Darling delivered timely boost

Having had her appetite whetted in Spain in 2023, the 32-year-old would love to be involved again in a Solheim Cup, with this year’s edition taking place at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands in September, when the European team is being captained by former AIG Women’s Open champion Anna Nordqvist.

As for the Ladies European Tour, it, quite frankly, has been a very poor hunting ground for Scottish players in recent seasons and, at a time when Scottish Golf is pushing hard to try and grow girls’ and women’s golf, it was certainly a timely boost as Hannah Darling secured her card for 2026 through the circuit’s Qualifying School in Morocco last month.

Darling is one of the most naturally-talented golfers Scotland has produced for a long time and that, coupled with her brilliant attitude, means hopes can be high of an overdue tartan triumph on the LET this year, when Lorna McClymont can also hopefully make progress after her rookie campaign last season.

As for the amateur ranks, it’s exciting to have Blairgowrie teenager Connor Graham sitting inside the top 30 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and looking as though he can go from strength to strength during his college campaign at Texas Tech while St Andrews 14-year-old Carly McDonald looks as though she can be a name to watch out for in the women’s game.

Covid boom has worn off for clubs

What about the club scene? After the closure of The Hirsel in Coldstream and Torrance Park in Lanarkshire in 2024, last year passed without any more casualties in terms of so-called private clubs, though it was a huge blow, of course, in Dundee as the city’s last public courses closed at Caird Park.

There can be no denying, though, that the Covid boom in terms of memberships has started to wear off and 2026 is likely to prove a battle for many clubs around the country.

In short, Scottish golf is in pretty good shape but, both on and off the course, hard work is required to make this year a good one from the proudest golfing nation on the planet.