Ex-patriot Scott Lee Rhind could be ‘Tin Cup’ at this week’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill in suburban Rochester.
The 34-year old Rhind grew-up in Livingston and moved in 2000 to the States to live in Midland, Texas.
The town mid-way between El Paso and Fort Worth boasting a population of around 114,000 and a strangely a rugby team, the Midland Mad Dog Rugby Team that competes in the Texan Rugby Union competition.
Rhind is the assistant pro at the Midland County Club and qualified for his first-ever PGA Championship by finishing 14th in the PGA Professional National Championship.
Scottish ex-pat Lee Rhind making his PGA Championship debut.
He is a former North Texas PGA Assistants champion (2011), winner of the West Texas Chapter Assistant Champion (2012) and was West Texas Chapter Player of the Year in 2010 and 2012.
Rhind arrived at Oak Hill on Tuesday to be handed the keys of a gleaming silver Mercedes courtesy car and a 2.20pm (7.20pm UK time) tee time later today.
“I was blown away by the amount of people and it took a while to figure out where I had to go,” said Rhind.
“It has been a blast so far. We will see how the golf goes but no matter what, it is nice to be in this atmosphere for once.”
And while Rhind now has a distinct Texas drawl accent he revealed his Scottish up-bringing.
“I was born in Livingston and came over here in 2000 to Midland Junior College and pretty much since then I have been based over here,” he said.
“I travelled around and played some mini-tour stuff from 2002 to 2007.
“I had a little bit of success and managed to win a couple of events.
“I just got fed up with all the travel so I took a club job at Midland Country Club – it is a great place. We have a secondary Web-com event there and I have managed to play in that a couple of times.
“In 1997 I won the Scottish Boys, and I played in the youth team all the way through and got one senior cap.”
However while Rhind, who has been married for five years, may now call Texas home he was sporting a Scottish saltire belt ahead of his first-ever Major.
“I have got my Scottish belt on but then flag next to our name has to be American because we came through American qualifying,” he said.
“If you play good, you have got the chance of maybe making the cut. Maybe you don’t. If you stick in there and keep it out of the rough, you have certainly got a chance.
“It is a fair course, everything is right there in front of you.
“Also I actually hit balls on the top of the hill alongside Tiger yesterday. More just to say I did it. It was kind of nerve racking but it was fun.
“I didn’t say hello and I kept my head down but it was fun.”
