Henderson gets advice from the Law ahead of PGA Cup debut

Aberdonian Scott Henderson has drawn on some ‘inside information’ as he prepares to make his debut for the Great Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team.

The 44-year-old Kings Links professional, one of four Scottish-based players in the 10-man squad – all of them rookies, has sought advice from three-time Cup veteran Gordon Law ahead of next week’s clash with the Americans at De Vere Slaley Hall.

Henderson, who qualified for the team last December at the Titleist PGA Play-Offs in Turkey, admitted the conversations with Uphall’s Law have been useful ahead of the biennal Ryder Cup-style tournament for PGA Professionals.

“Gordon played a few times so I have taken some advice from him about what it all entails,” he said.

“I am aware it is not just about everything that happens on the golf course but also about everything that goes on around it. A little bit of inside information won’t go amiss.”

Despite being a PGA Cup debutant, Henderson has a wealth of experience to draw on having competed on the European Tour where he had the distinction of being a former Rookie of the Year.

A change in the qualifying process enabled Henderson the opportunity to make the team, which is captained by fellow Scot Russell Weir for the second successive time.

The changes, which have enabled Banchory’s Greig Hutcheon to be a captain’s pick, are aimed at ending the Americans’ stranglehold on the trophy.  The US has won the last three matches and 11 of the past 13.

“I am looking forward to my debut, this is my Ryder Cup,” said Henderson.

“The door has been opened for full-time players to compete and I have taken the chance.

“The changes should benefit the team because if you look across the Atlantic at the Americans, they have a much larger pool of players to pick from and ones with considerable Tour experience. This change can only help the team and raise the profile of the PGA Cup team.”

Henderson has maintained his form since last year having had a consistent season that sees him currently lying third on The PGA in Scotland Order of Merit and eighth on the Tartan Tour money list.

“We all know golf is about yourself and what you do but events like the PGA Cup and the Ryder Cup alter that,” he said.

“You are no longer just playing for yourself but you are playing for your team-mates and that brings a different context to playing. You are also not focussing on a score, but just beating your opponent, which you only get in match play.

“I think the format brings different characteristics out in people and certainly makes players more ‘gutsy’.”

One final element Henderson will draw on is the venue, having chalked up the first significant result of his career back on Tour finishing tied fourth at the European Open behind a top three of Colin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen and Lee Westwood.

“It is a long time since I played there but there are good memories having finished fourth there in 1997,” he said.

“Playing a course you have done well on can only help. It is a fantastic course and I hope there haven’t been too many changes since I was there.”