Antalya, Turkey ….
Scotland’s Scott Jamieson will be looking to celebrate moving his young family Stateside by ending a four-year winless European Tour drought at this week’s Turkish Airlines Open.
The Scot revealed he is taking his family of four to Ponte Vedre in Florida and just ‘down the road’ from Jacksonville where top-ranked Scot Russell Knox is based.
Jamieson, who had gone to college in Florida, will from January 2018 contest the European Tour from his new Florida home but also is no stranger to this region of the Sunshine State as his wife, Natalie grew-up in the area.
“We’re off to America in December just before Christmas and actually moved out our house last week and I hope I never have to do it again!”, he said smiling.
Scott Jamieson is moing his young family to Florida. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“My wide did 99 per cent of the packing. I did one per cent and it was hellish! I’ve been saying: ‘I think I need to play again next week!’
“We’re moving to a golf course estates in Ponte Vedra Beach and it will be close to my wife’s family so life will be a bit easier over there from a family perspective.
“I’ll still be playing on the European Tour though as I’m not employed anywhere else (smiling)”.
The move will afford Jamieson access to the stunning practice facilities at what will be close-by TPC Sawgrass, and event though Jamieson is not a member of the PGA Tour.
Others to use Sawgrass, and venue each year for the Players Championship, is Knox along with Vijay Singh, Sweden’s David Lingmerth and even former Scottish Seniors winner, Anders Forsbrand.
Also fellow European Tour colleague Scott Hend of Australia lives with his family in Ponte Vedre.
“I like it over there in Florida and I’ve got friends over there from college days,” said Jamieson.
“There are a lot of golfers in and around the Jacksonville area as well. A lot of the PGA Tour and Web.com guys are based there.
“It should be good for my golf and it means I can practice more in good weather and be on the golf course more, more than I do at the moment at home, that’s for sure.
“You don’t get much chance to practice chipping and putting in Scotland unless you are doing some indoor stuff.
“The good also is that the travelling won’t be much different as for seven months a year we are on long haul anyway, and in the summer will probably come over for a two-months stint,” said Jamieson.
“The only thing that will be different will be that I’ll schedule different. Sit on the plane a little bit longer, but probably will take fewer flights. Fewer flights but longer flights. I guess the jet lag will be something I’ll need to learn how to live with. But seven months a year you’ve just got to get on with it.”
Jamieson has travelled to Turkey this week for today’s (THUR) start to the Turkish Airlines Open near Antalya and only just managing to get himself into $US 7m and 78-player event.
Jamieson is ranked 71st on the Race to Dubai and with entries cutting off at 81st on the money list and with a strong showing this week taking him into next week’s Nedbank Challene in South Africa while top-60 would see him qualify for a first time in five years in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“Getting into this Turkish Airlines Open hopefully will open the door for the next two,” he said.
“I came away with a lot of confidence from sixth two weeks at the Valderrama Masters and especially tee to green, and holed some really good longer putts on one of the toughest courses on the Tour.
“So, I’m 71st on the Race to Dubai, and the field for the Nedbank next week is the leading 72 so I need to go forward if I want to get to Dubai, just like any other week, do as well as you can.
“I also need to pay attention to the guys just in front of me and just behind me how they are doing, but at the end of the day if I have a top 10 that would take care of everything.”
Jamieson is among five Scots competing in Turkey.
