Ewen Ferguson has joined Scottish golfing greats Paul Lawrie and Colin Montgomerie winning twice in a year with his comfortable three-shot victory at the ISPS Handa World Invitational at Ballymena.

Ferguson, 26, led from start to finish, and despite a ‘bloody rotten’ sleep ahead of the last round, the young Scot posted a final one-under 69 for a 12-under-par tally on the Galgorm Castle course.

The last Scot to win twice in the same year was Larwrie a decade ago at the 2012 Qatar Masters and Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles while Monty last won twice in a year in winning the 2005 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and two months later he banked victory in the UBS Hong Kong Open.

Ferguson broke through last March, and in his 37^th Tour event, winning the CB Qatar Masters and now 13 events on, and in event No. 50 he’s also won on British soil for a first time.

He said: “It feels unbelievable to win twice in a year, and I can’t believe how calm I was out there and it could not have worked out any better for me”.

If there was any pressure for Ferguson he admitted it was winning wire-to-wire but he took comfort in American good friend Sean Crocker two-weeks ago leading from start-to-finish to seal success at the Hero Open at the Fairmont Resort on the outskirts of St. Andrews.

Ferguson said: “I’m good friends with Sean and seeing him win wire-to-wire in St. Andrews.  I also broke the course record that week (smiling), but what Sean did gave me the belief I could do it, as well.

“I felt comfortable handling the extra pressure, and thought after the 61 on Thursday, it was a great opportunity for me”.

“The only problem is that I went to bed last night and my sleep wasn’t too great.  Actually, it was bloody rotten so to win is unbelievable”.

Also, helping Ferguson was playing the first two rounds in the company of his close friend and travelling room-mate Connor Syme, and then as it turned out the pair were grouped for the last round.

Friends first 🤝#WorldInvitational pic.twitter.com/i9uN0Pz7oR

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 14, 2022

Ferguson used Syme’s company on day one to post a new Galgorm Castle course record of a 61, and seven rounds after qualifying Torrance course record on day two of the Hero Open at the Fairmont Resort on the outskirts of St. Andrews.

And while losing out to Ferguson, Syme superbly birdied the 72^nd in a score of 69 to share second place at nine-under with Spain’s Borja Virto, and then there was the great sight of the two Scots walking from the green with their arms around each other.

Syme had been there at the back of the green on the first Sunday in March to comfort Ferguson when blew a four-shot lead, shooting a horror last day 76 and finishing eighth.

Four events later, Syme was helping his good friend celebrate victory in Doha and then at Galgorm Castle the duo stood tall out in the last group and Syme again helped Ferguson celebrate.

Ferguson said: “It could not have worked out any better playing with Connor and while I played alongside him for the first two days, and while I played so, so good as I felt he was the main rival today.

“So, playing with him was good as I was trying to hold each other off, and I can’t believe I am a winner again”.

And while Ferguson was talking of celebrating with a Sprite and black currant, Syme had other ideas walking out from the clubhouse with two bottles of beer in his hand, and one for his good friend.

Victory lifts Ferguson 17 spots to 17^th on the Race to Dubai money-list while the Scot should jump 46 spots to the new World No. 165^th when they adjusted this morning (Monday).

For Syme, it was his second straight second place finish and a sixth top-3 effort in 105 Tour events as the Fifer looks to win a maiden Tour win.  He has jumped 11 spots to 21^st on the Race to Dubai.

Kirkintilloch’s Calum Fyfe was celebrating earning a £stg 19,000 pay cheque, and a first in only two DP Tour events, thanks to a closing 66 to share 13^th at five-under with Peebles Craig Howie (68).