Former Moray pro targets Asian Tour success
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A GLOBE-TROTTING former Moray golfer could soon be pitched into the Asian Tour alongside some of the sport’s big names.
Derek McKenzie, an ex-schoolboy international who learned his craft on the fairways of Elgin and Forres, is now general manager at the luxurious Santiburi Samui Country Club in Thailand.
The club, part of a chain of four courses and two resorts owned by the famous Singha beer company, hosts one of the Asia tour events and McKenzie (40) was invited to play in the tournament.
Having been out of the competitive game for more than a decade due to teaching and management posts in Germany, Egypt and Majorca, it was a return to action which brought back the golfing bug for the Moray man.
Now he is travelling across the continent, playing on the Asian Development Tour, with the aim of qualifying for the full tour in the future.
“I started to play in some Thailand events to warm up for last year’s tournament and then this year tried to get my full playing rights on the Asian Tour by qualifying at the Q-School in January,” said Derek, who landed the job at the resort 18 months ago.
“Sadly I missed out, but due to entering this event I was given a ranking that allowed me to take part in the Asian Development Tour. So I decided to give this a go."
See Northern Scot for full story.
