Change of plan fires Ferguson to victory and Open

New BMW International Open Ewen Ferguson champion had considered missing nan tourney successful Munich to attraction connected Open qualifying.

But a precocious alteration of bosom worked retired very good for nan 28-year-old Scot, who snagged his 3rd DP World Tour triumph and landed a spot successful nan Royal Troon section into nan bargain.

"You don't get to triumph overmuch arsenic a golfer and erstwhile you do it's truthful special," a delighted Ferguson told BBC Scotland.

"I wasn't going to play Germany, I was going to play Open qualifying. But it turns retired I pulled retired of Open qualifying, played Germany, and sewage into nan Open anyway!"

Having made his Open debut past year, he gets successful this clip arsenic 1 of nan apical 5 top-20 players successful nan Race to Dubai not already assured of a place.

With that weight disconnected his shoulders and a large jump up nan world rankings (from 168 to 104) he comes into this week's Scottish Open successful an upbeat mood.

"I'm conscionable buzzing to get retired location and springiness it a go," he said.

"Last week, I was reasoning I can't hold to play astatine my location Open to spell for apical 10 to get an Open spot. Now I tin relax, freewheel it and spot what I tin do."

Ferguson's bully friend Robert MacIntyre was runner-up astatine nan Scottish Open past year, finishing 1 changeable down Rory McIlroy aft a thrilling last time successful East Lothian.

Ferguson and MacIntyre came done nan ranks together and nan latter's occurrence has been a root of joyousness and inspiration.

"Watching him win nan Canadian Open was conscionable amazing," he said. "I could spot erstwhile he was nether accent and really he was dealing pinch it. It made maine deliberation 'I tin get better, I conscionable request to get better'.

"I was truthful proud of him but you are envious too, you wish it was you.

"One of nan first group to matter erstwhile I won astatine nan play was Bob, saying he was truthful happy for maine and let's support it going."

Ferguson would for illustration to travel MacIntyre to nan PGA Tour, admitting that playing successful America is his "ultimate goal".

Issues pinch his imagination and equilibrium had threatened to derail Ferguson but are now nether power pinch nan thief of medication.

"I was really upset, reasoning adjacent twelvemonth I'd beryllium connected nan Challenger Tour again," he said of his caller wellness struggles.

"It's really tough, taking weeks disconnected erstwhile you're not getting immoderate points, watching your ranking slip, while your friends and peers return complete you.

"It besides made maine realise that I really do for illustration playing play a batch much than I thought.

"You tin return it for granted aliases nan life of it each tin beryllium excessively overmuch sometimes, but erstwhile you're sitting connected nan sofa saturated you're reasoning 'actually, I do for illustration being retired there' moreover erstwhile it is tough."