Sam Bairstow off to a strong start to his two-week PGA Tour trip

The big guns were at the Scottish Open in North Berwick this past weekend and have already moved on to Royal Troon for the 152nd staging of the Open Championship.

But having been unable to negotiate qualifying for the Open for what would have been a third time in four years, the 25-year-old lefty from Hallowes Golf Club elected to go Stateside to play two tournaments co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.

After the weekend he has just had, it is looking a shrewd move.

For Bairstow finished in a tie for sixth at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky, missing out on the five-man play-off eventually won by fellow Englishman Harry Hall, by just two shots.

And this after his opening rounds of 69, 67 left him teetering over the cut line. However, Bairstow shot up the leaderboard on Saturday with a best-of-the-day 62 to move into contention, from where a closing 70 left him on 20-under-par. He took home a cheque for £100,000 in the process, the second biggest of his career and yet another indicator in his debut season on the DP World Tour that the former Brabazon Trophy winner is now far away from that breakthrough win.

While the Open is on at Troon this week, Bairstow will compete at the Barracuda Championship at Mount Tahoe in California, looking to make further in-roads towards that maiden victory.

Bairstow also qualified for the US Open earlier this summer, responding to an opening round of 84 at Pinehurst with a terrific 67 on the second day.

Hall’s victory at the ISCO was clinched by a chip-in at the third play-off hole and comes just days before his partner is due to give birth to their first child.