It’s been quite the year for Craig Howie. The young Scot only joined the paid ranks in January 2018 but he is now the proud holder of a full European Challenge Tour card after winning the Pro Golf Tour Order of Merit.
The 24 year old, although in the infancy of his professional career, has vast experience in the amateur game having won the Scottish Boys Championship in 2012, the Scottish University Championship in 2016 and was part of the victorious Scotland team in the European Amateur Team Championship during the same year.
Howie has now transferred that success to the professional game and showed great consistency in his maiden season, securing eight top tens which included three runner-up finishes and one life-changing victory.
He set the ball rolling with a tied second finish in only his second event – the Red Sea Ain Sokhna Classic – and a tied eighth place at the Open Casa Green Golf a fortnight later.
The Scot’s maiden triumph came at the Leipziger Golf Open in August where he defeated countryman Chris Robb in a play-off to move to the top of the Order of Merit and place one hand on a Challenge Tour card.
With only three events remaining of the season, Howie’s victory came at the ideal time and, as it transpired, his place on the Challenge Tour was assured by finishing as the Pro Golf Tour’s Number One for 2018.
2018 Pro Golf Tour graduates: Craig Howie (Scotland), Jonas Kölbing (Germany), Mathieu Decottignies Lafon (France), Chris Robb (Scotland), Mateusz Gradecki (Poland)
