Nov. 2, 2004 – Scott Drummond of Scotland has been named as the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year. The 30 year old, who becomes the tenth Scot to receive the accolade since its inception in 1960, was unanimously selected by a joint panel comprising The European Tour, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the Association of Golf Writers.

Drummond, the reigning PGA Champion, succeeds Ireland’s Peter Lawrie as the latest winner of this prestigious Award, which is presented to the European golfer judged by the panel to have produced the most outstanding performance in his first year as a Member of The European Tour.

Drummond has followed the route taken by the 1978 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, Sandy Lyle, in that they were both born in Shropshire, both represented England at amateur level and both took the nationality of their Scottish fathers on turning professional.

Victory in the Open de Toulouse on the European Challenge Tour in 2003 paved the way for Drummond to qualify for The European Tour through his seventh place on the Challenge Tour Rankings.

He then made a dramatic impact on The European Tour by recording his first victory in the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England. That stunning success played a leading role in Drummond becoming the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the year. After finishing a highly respectable tied seventh in the end of season Volvo Masters Andalucia at Valderrama, Drummond ended his rookie season in 23rd place on the Volvo Order of Merit with earnings just shy of the million euro mark on €908,017 (£627,916)

He follows previous Scottish winners Robin Liddle (1966), Bernard Gallacher (1968), Sam Torrance (1972), Sandy Lyle (1978), Mike Miller (1979), Gordon Brand Jnr (1982), Colin Montgomerie (1988), Gary Orr (1993) and Scott Henderson (1997).

Drummond commented: “I have studied the list of past winners of the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award and it is a wonderful honour to follow such famous names as Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, José Maria Olazábal and Colin Montgomerie and, more recently, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter.

“A year ago, playing on the Challenge Tour, I would never have believed that 12 months on I would be the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year. At the start of the season my goal was to retain my card and, if possible, challenge for this award as you only ever have one chance of winning it.

“To be the PGA Champion and to have played in two Majors, three World Golf Championships, the HSBC World Match Play and the Volvo Masters Andalucia by the end of my first season on Tour is unbelievable. As David Howell said to me recently, I’ve gained five years of experience in five months.

“I would like to thank my wife, Claire, for her support, my caddie, Kevin Smith, for having faith in me during our days on the Challenge Tour, Keith Williams at Woodhall Spa, who has coached me since I was 14 and my ‘mind coach’, Jeff Pettitt.”

Drummond will receive his award at The European Tour’s Annual Dinner at Wentworth Club in May 2005.