Gullane grafter proves A-grade student

Aspiring Scottish PGA Professional Keir McNicoll has come top of the class after winning the prestigious Titleist PGA Assistant of the Year award.

It is the second honour in three years for the 31-year-old former Scotland International, who is based at Gullane, as he collected the Rookie of the Year title in 2014.

McNicoll, who was the first Scot to reach plus six as an amateur, hailed the achievement as ‘amazing’ having set his sights on claiming the once-in-a-lifetime award given to the top graduate following completion of the three-year PGA Foundation Degree.

A ‘chuffed’ McNicoll put the success down to hard work as he collected the Whitcombe Cox Trophy and cheque for £3,500 from Titleist brand director Matthew Johnson, former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher and PGA captain Nicky Lumb at the PGA’s Annual Graduation ceremony at the University of Birmingham on Friday April 22.

McNicoll said: “I put a lot of hard work into the three years and my goal was to achieve this award and to have done that is just amazing. I am chuffed to have done it.

“I have always studied hard and during the past three years I have done that and have constantly asked people questions to get answers or to point to the right people who would know.

“I have a couple of mentors that I have also called upon and they have played a part.”

McNicoll will be joined at the ceremony by Gullane’s Ailsa Bain, who is also graduating, and head PGA Professional Alasdair Good.

A keen player, McNicoll will continue to test his mettle against Scotland’s best as well as developing his role at the highly-rated Gullane.

“I am working at one of the best clubs in Gullane which offers me everything my career needs at present in terms of coaching and playing.

“The club has also recently hosted the Scottish Open and been a qualifying venue for the Open, when it was staged at Muirfield.

“Staging a European Tour event like the Scottish Open, I didn’t think was possible, but it was an incredible experience. I bumped into guys I know like Shane Lowry, who I played against in the home internationals, and Russell Knox.”

The PGA training programme, encompassing the three year Foundation Degree, was founded more than 50 years ago and covers all aspects of golf including business, equipment technology and repairs, rules and tournament organisation, sports science and sports psychology.

Training and education remain an integral part of The PGA - it also runs an honours degree in association with the University of Birmingham and this year has launched a new partnership with the University of Highlands and Islands in Scotland.

Once qualified, PGA Members undergo a process of continual professional development to keep them up to speed with all the latest developments in the sport and wider golf industry.

PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said: “The PGA Graduation day is always inspirational and gives me great confidence each year the game of golf is in good hands for generations to come.

“The quality of the graduates coming through our PGA training programme are second to none and there’s no doubt they are starting at the beginning of their careers which will take them to almost any corner of the world.

“I congratulate each and every one of them for their hard work and effort they have put into obtaining the qualification. I wish them all success wherever the game of golf takes them.”

Matthew Johnson, Titleist brand director, said: “We are pleased to continue our support of the Titleist PGA Assistant of the Year award, recognising this as a starting point of the PGA's commitment to provide its members with a framework for lifelong learning.

“Titleist has had a long standing commitment to PGA professionals, we realise and endorse that they play a key role in the development and growth of the game across all levels, and we are delighted to support the next generation of qualified professionals, we look forward to working with them and would like wish them well with their future careers.”