Golf Central

You're from Inverness, Scotland. It's freezing cold up there. But you're a professional golfer, one of a handful of tour pros who come from such northerly latitudes (a few other Scots, the Swedes, an Icelander or two and a few reindeer are the others).

So what do you do for the winter? Make like the birds, and get a job down south!

That's exactly what Murray Urquhart, who is the only touring pro to hail from Scotland's home of the Loch Ness Monster, did earlier this month.

Urquhart, 34, was one of 250 entrants from 20 countries to head down to South Africa to try to qualify for the Sunshine Tour at Johannesburg Country Club. And he made it easily, firing rounds of 72-72-71-69 to finish in a tie for 12th and get his card.

He may only be ranked No. 1250 in the end of year Official World Golf Rankings, but for Urquhart, who looks (quite) a bit like a '70s Jack Nicklaus with his blonde fringe and big reverse-C finish and power fade, the only way is up.

He's bounced on and off the European Tour, Challenge Tour and Tartan Tours in his 10-year career, but Urquhart figures to go down to South Africa, playing competitive golf for a couple of months in the sunshine, and have his game ready for Europe in the spring.

Sound plan. Urquhart, who writes a column for the Press and Journal, north Scotland's daily newspaper, admits conditions are not ideal in Inverness this time of year: "There's very little chance to do anything other than hit balls on the range back home in Scotland. It's a bit nasty right now."