The Silver Medal

Calum Scott could not stop the tears rolling down his face. 

They were tears of delight as the home hope walked down the 18th hole on his way to claim the Silver Medal for the leading amateur at The 152nd Open. 

With a score of eight-over-par, the 20-year-old from the Nairn in the Highlands won by three strokes to cap an emotional week. 

“I could hear all my friends and family and people I know through golf out there,” Scott said. “The support has been brilliant.  

“My caddie and assistant coach said to me to ‘soak this in’ on the 18th. I pretty much had it at that point so he was just like soak it in. I did and the last 100 yards walking I got kind of emotional. 

“But I still had two putts to hit so I couldn’t fully, but I was embracing it. It was just amazing and I will definitely cherish it for a lifetime.” 

The Texas Tech student began his week incredibly steadily, posting an even-par 71 as he went out in just the second pairing and facing the hardest of the conditions. 

Those conditions returned during round two and were harder to manage but a 75 was enough to see him through to the weekend on his major debut. 

The third round was much more like it. Scott produced back-to-back birdies before two bogeys followed on 10 and 12.

A final birdie on the 13th allowed him to card his first under-par round at The Open and gave him a three-shot lead in the race for the Silver Medal with one round remaining. 

On Championship Sunday, Scott struggled a little. He went through the front nine at even-par before five bogeys in seven holes made things slightly interesting, even though his challengers dropped further back. 

He responded well and strode up the final fairway with a birdie chance awaiting him on the 18th green and the medal almost around his neck.

That was when it hit him, with friends, family and clubmates from Nairn Golf Club, just outside of Inverness, joining the chorus of cheers from the grandstands. 

He added: “I am super happy, relieved as well. I made it tough for myself coming in, but I am super happy to be the low amateur for this event. 

“The first nine holes I played really well, I could have taken a few more opportunities but overall even par wasn’t too bad for the front nine.  

“The wind has been different pretty much every day and it was just side winds through every hole. But I made it tough for myself on the back nine.  

“It is one of the highest honours you can win as an amateur. To be able to make the cut because, first of all, you have to make the cut to win this award.  

“And to beat out 11 other amateurs, I am very proud of myself for that and to compete in a tournament like The Open is just amazing.” 

Twelve amateurs qualified for The Open, a 37-year high. Four made the cut, with the quartet tightly bunched and separated by only two shots ahead of round three.

Tommy Morrison produced a consistent week to finish on 11-over, while Luis Masaveu finished on 18-over.

Jacob Skov Olesen, The Amateur Champion, was the most consistent threat to Scott’s lead. 

The Dane had a string of 32 consecutive bogey-free holes between the 10th of his first round and the 7th of his third round, including 21 pars in a row. 

However, the bogeys returned his fourth round as he carded a 76 to post 11-over-par. 

It meant that when Scott started his final round, alongside the 2009 Silver Medal winner Matteo Manassero, he was already in a commanding position. 

Manassero made an effort not to mention his own victory but was keen to tell the young Scot to embrace everything that comes next once his win was confirmed. 

Scott joins illustrious company including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and a challenger for this year’s Claret Jug, Justin Rose. 

“There’s been a bunch of Silver Medal winners go on to do incredible things,” he said. 

“I am not exactly sure what this will do, obviously I have got a year left at college, but it does a lot for my amateur career, and it helps me in the next year as I transition maybe into pro golf.  

“It is a really cool accolade to have and to join some big names.”