Matthew Morgan hoping to make home advantage count

Neil Shave, of Doune, Perthshire, and Matthew Morgan, of Cupar, are two of the best FootGolfers in the world.

The pair, who are the former Scotland captain and vice-captain, have won a host of silverware in their careers and are pairs partners on the UK Tour and with Scotland and Team UK.

They were part of the Team UK side that won two pieces of silverware last year, firstly defeating Team USA in The Jansen Cup - a Ryder Cup-style event between the nations at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales, where the 2010 Ryder Cup was staged.

They were then crowned European Champions after defeating France in the final of the European Championships, after beating Slovakia, Belgium, Italy, Hungary and Holland on route to the final.

And they were also key players in the Scotland side that won the Tri-Nations Cup with Scotland in the three-way contest with England and Wales in September.

But 32-year-old Neil, who was the 2019 UK No 7, and 26-year-old Matt, who was the 2019 World No 6, UK No 2 and Scottish National Champion, will face off at Cluny Activities tomorrow afternoon.

They play each other in the Kingdom of Fife FootGolf Club Matchplay Championship, with the game being broadcast live on the club’s Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/KingdomofFifeFGC - from 2.50pm onwards.

Golf is one of the sports allowed under the reduced Coronavirus lockdown measures.

And as FootGolf is played to the same rules as golf, one-by-one matchplay fixtures between people from different households are permitted under the new restrictions.

The fixture will see both players completing 18 holes on the course, with a point being awarded to a player when they win a hole, by completing it in fewer strokes than their opponent.

Matt said of the clash: “I’m looking forward to getting back involved with competitive footgolf.

“I’ve practiced at Cluny Activities and it’s in excellent condition.

“My opponent Neil isn’t just a good friend of mine but also a fellow Scotland and UK International player and he is actually my doubles partner.

“So we know each others’ ability and know this game will be tough.

“At a time where there is little sport to play and not many ways to exercise I can’t stress enough how amazing Footgolf is - and it is a game for all ages, genders and abilities.

“Get involved and give it a try.

“Since being able to get back out on the course I have seen a huge improvement in both my mental and social health.”

Kingdom of Fife FootGolf Club Captain Callum Haig said: “The club is delighted to consist of Scotland and UK International players.

“The new members learn alot from these guys and their support for building the club and supporting the players is incredible.

“This will be an incredible match to watch and to learn from.

“We welcome all new players to come and join our club, where they can enjoy both social and competitive footgolf.”

Anyone interested in playing FootGolf or joining the club at Cluny can do so via the club’s Facebook page.