Scottish golfing brothers team up again to deliver winning formula

Two-and-a-half years ago, Darren caddied for Craig in the Challenge Tour Grand Final in Mallorca as he earned a step up to the DP World Tour.

Now, with the roles reversed, the Peebles pair have enjoyed another moment to remember after Darren landed a Tartan Pro Tour triumph in their beloved Borders.

In testing conditions on all three days, the 24-year-old carded rounds of 68-71-69 in the Schloss Roxburghe Masters presented by Martin Gilbert, one of Scottish golf’s greatest supporters.

Finishing on eight-under-par at the Kelso venue, Howie found himself in a play-off with John Henry following his efforts of 67-70-71, with that being decided in Howie’s favour at the first extra hole.

“It’s a relief, to be honest,” he admitted of a success worth £3785. “It was windy on all three days and today was the worst of the lot. “You just had to know where your ball was going and, thankfully this week, I’ve hit the ball well enough to feel I could have been a few shots better and it would have been easy to let your score slip away in the wind.

“I holed a 20-footer on six after hitting a poor pitch shot and that kind of got me going after playing the first five holes really well. I also birdied the seventh and that really helped me get off the ground, so to speak, and I realised the golf I was playing was good enough to allow me to keep plugging away.

“I was trying to get to ten or 11 under as I thought that was going to win with the leaders having started out on nine under.”

Callum McNeil and Harry Boyle had shared top spot after 36 holes, but, as their challenges faded on the final day, Howie found the sort of form that he’d shown in his amateur career.

“I can take a lot of confidence from this,” he admitted. “I’ve put in a lot of work this year and, unfortunately, it’s not been the start to the season I’d hoped for. Even last week, I hit the ball solid enough, but I was about 70th.

“It felt like I could have gone down a rabbit hole trying to search for what was going wrong, but I had a lesson last week with my coach, Daniel Flannery, and the chat we had convinced me that we are doing is working and I’ve just got to be patient. For it to happen this week is sooner rather than I expected.

“This is my third full year as a pro for me. It’s just about being patient and trying to make progress.”

As for having his big brother on the bag, Howie joked: “Yeah, I’ve caddied for him a few times, so it’s nice of him to pay me back for that!

“On a serious note, though, he was saying that I am playing well enough that I should be able to win these events. Or at least I hit it well enough and my game is good enough to compete.

“I didn’t have everything going this week, but certainly tee to green I’d probably have been the best this week but certainly top three.”

On the back of a strong start to the season, which included back-to-back wins, Sam Locke holds a big lead in the Order of Merit after five events as players battle it out for two cards on the Challenge Tour next year.

“Obviously Sam has got off to an absolute flyer, but that second Challenge Tour card is up for grabs and also the chance to get through to the second stage of Qualifying School,” said Howie, who worked as a viewing agent for one his sponsors, solicitors and estate agents Cullen Kilshaw, over the winter.

“If I can keep plugging away, I can hopefully catch Sam. I’ve just got to try and replicate this week and, if I can hit it like I did this week for the rest of the season, I’m certainly going to have a chance.”

Led by Tartan Pro Tour commissioner Paul Lawrie, players were full of praise for Schloss Roxburghe. “Yeah, we should play in the Borders more often,” said Howie laughing. “It was in amazing condition and, in my opinion, the best by far we’ve played this year. It’s a shame it’s so deep into the Borders as there should be loads of events there.”