The Dubai-based Scot has had a challenging 12 months, as he heads back to the happy hunting ground of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters

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How much are you looking forward to returning to Doha Golf Club in a few weeks time, Ewen?

Yeah, I can’t wait. It’s one of my favourite events of the year, and Doha Golf Club is a proper, proper test. Everybody loves it.

I love it the most though, not just because I won there, but I just love the place. It’s not far from home in Dubai, it’s beautiful, clean, the hotels are amazing, the course is awesome, the facilities are brilliant, the weather is class. It gets a bit windy as well like back in Scotland and I think the last three times I’ve played there my worst finish is 16th!

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Still loving living in out in the Middle East in Dubai?

Yep! Still love Dubai. Nothing to complain about. Travels easy from here. You know the facilities are incredible. Everyone looks after me so well in terms of practising, and course and driving range facilities.

Sadly, you just can’t get that back home in Scotland all year round. The weather just doesn’t allow you to do that.

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You mentioned winning in Qatar, your maiden win on the DP World Tour, it’s a historic event to be a past winner of as well, isn’t it?

Exactly, even more reason why I love it there and I can’t wait to go back!

There are a lot of Scots that live in Doha that come out and watch me play, which is nice to have a wee fan base there as well which is cool.

Also, I’m not just saying it, but the trophy is one of the best in golf! So it’s a good one to have on the resume and hopefully, a second one would be nice in the future.

You actually get a little replica trophy when you win which is nice. So that’s at my parents’ house back home in Scotland.

They love it just as much as me. They’ve got three replica trophies now on the mantle piece from my three wins and a picture of me and Tiger Woods at The Open, so that’s their talking point when they’ve got their friends over!

It’s strange thinking back to then in 2022 and it feels weird actually. I feel like a different man now from three years ago. But at the same time, when I watch the videos, it feels like yesterday. Time in golf just goes by so quickly.

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You haven’t shied away from how tough the past 12 months have been for you.

Yeah, I’ve had quite a bit of sickness this past 12 months. Still get some sickness now.

It’s anxiety that I suffer from and I worry sometimes when tournaments are on, that it’s going to happen again.

It’s just the worry, and it all adds up on top of each other. That’s why I’ve got a physio now and a psychologist to just try to get on top of it all and calm myself down.

It’s not the golf part, I’m happy and fine when playing golf, but it’s just everything else around it which has been a bit of a battle.

You know, it makes you realise that life isn’t plane sailing, especially when something happens to you.

The first 27 years of my life, I never had anything wrong with me. You just act like you’re unbreakable.

So it has definitely been a lesson at the same time, to appreciate the good times and look after not just yourself, but others around you and ask if they’re doing ok?

Since having this different approach, I feel like it’s almost taken a bit of pressure off the golf. Playing golf does mean everything to me, but at the same time if I do play badly, then I go home to the people that I love, sit down, have a nice dinner and just be happy.

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