Club honours golfing great

Mhairi McKay with Bothwell Castle captain Gareth Rees (centre) and immediate past captain Martin Dickson as her name is added to the list of honorary life members of the club.

Bothwell Castle Golf Club bestowed an honorary life membership on Mhairi McKay at a special ceremony in the clubhouse.

Mhairi (40), who grew up in Uddingston, joined Bothwell Castle in 1985 aged 10 and was a member until 1994, when she moved to America to pursue a golf scholarship at Stanford University. There she counted Tiger Woods among her classmates.

Mhairi went on to become LPGA rookie of the year in 1998, and her career highlights include winning the Australian Women’s Open in 2003, being a member of the European Solheim Cup team in 2002 and 2003 and holding the professional record with a 67 round the Old Course at St Andrews.

Martin Dickson, immediate past captain at Bothwell, said: “Most people at the club assumed that Mhairi was already an honorary member – so it’s really not before time that she was given the true recognition she deserves.

“In my opinion, Mhairi is the best golfer ever produced here and it’s wonderful to have someone of her stature associated with our club.”

Mhairi lives in the US with husband Dave, son Angus and daughter Fiona.

She said: “I am absolutely thrilled and very grateful to the members of Bothwell Castle for awarding me honorary membership.

“My earliest golf memories happened at Bothwell Castle and I fondly recall spending hours at the course playing, on the practice ground and on the putting green honing my game and working towards my goals.

“Without doubt playing in Bothwell Castle’s competitive junior and ladies’ sections influenced and shaped my career”

Club Captain Gareth Rees added: “It was a real pleasure to welcome Mhairi home, all present could see how much this meant to her.

“Bothwell Castle clearly still means so much to Mhairi and we likewise were delighted to demonstrate how much her achievements over the years have to meant to us.”