By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
at St Andrews
Celebrated English amateur Ryan Evans was gifted the opportunity to “pick the brain” of six-time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo ahead of his professional debut at this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Evans, who turned professional this week off a handicap of plus five after representing England Golf in amateur events all over the world in the last few years, is on the east coast of Scotland this week thanks to an invitation into this unique celebration of links golf, staged across the revered St Andrews Old Course, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie layouts.
The 27 year old Wellingborough Golf Club member was as high as eighth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in his times in the unpaid ranks, but this week makes the step-up – and what better place to do it than at the Home of Golf.
“I enjoy links golf, almost every amateur event we played was on a links course so I should be used to the conditions,” said Evans, a member of the European side which defeated Asia in the 2014 Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy.
“But having said that, at St Andrews today, it was the first time I have ever played it when the back nine has been downwind. Every other time I have played it has been howling into the wind so it was different but good to see it that way because that means different clubs off the tees and different shots so quite enlightening!”
It was just a turn of fate, meanwhile, that pitched greenhorn Evans alongside Great Britain’s most successful golfer in Faldo in practice ahead of the main event, which begins on Thursday.
“I just went to book a practice round yesterday and the only one that was left was with Sir Nick, his son and Seve Benson so I thought I might as well join up and get a chance to pick his brains about his career,” continued Evans.
“It was really good. I was a bit hesitant to ask too many questions but I played in his Faldo Series a few years back so I started with that.
“And then I asked about his first time as a professional on Tour and how that was, how he felt, and he just told me to go out there and concentrate on my own game, to not get caught up in it all and just go and my golf – and that’s all I’m going to do.”
Evans has the company of Aberdeen Asset Management’s Douglas Connon in the unique Pro-Am event, who tee off from the tenth tee at Kingsbarns at precisely 0900 on Thursday morning.
So as the sun sets on a productive amateur career and rises on what Evans hopes will blossom into an even more successful calling in the paid ranks, what are the overriding emotions for the young Englishman?
He concluded: “I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’ve been playing some of the top amateur events in the last couple of years and doing really well and it is a new frontier but if you want to become a great golfer you have to throw yourself in the deep end and play the best in the world.
“So I’m looking forward to this week and looking forward to the future.”
