‘Ride the wave’ - Michael Stewart reveals Robert MacIntyre advice as DP World Tour ‘whirlwind’ continues in Spain

After more than three years without a start on the DP World Tour, Michael Stewart will make his second in as many weeks at the Open de España presented by Madrid as opportunity knocks for the unheralded Scot.

A professional since 2011, the 36-year-old could be about to embark on a late-career bloom after making headlines by finishing tied fourth at last week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Days earlier, he had finished runner-up on the Tartan Pro Tour but he now finds himself once again teeing it up alongside a host of Major champions, Ryder Cup stars and established players from the DP World Tour.

In the immediate aftermath of his heroics which saw him finish three shots back of winner Adrian Meronk at St Andrews, Stewart appeared intent on competing at the Tartan Pro Tour’s season finale at Gleneagles in a bid to preserve a top-two finish on their Order of Merit and with it HotelPlanner Tour status for 2027.

But having been made aware he was on track to claim an improved status via the DP World Tour Non-Members Points List, he jumped at the chance to take up his place in Spain for a $3.75 million tournament.

"I didn't really know that I was able to play here without jeopardising HotelPlanner Tour status for next year," he said.

"Really in the end, after understanding what last week actually meant in terms of points, it was a no-brainer to come here.

"It's been a whirlwind few days. Just delighted to be here."

Across his five prior appearances on the DP World Tour, Stewart had made the cut just once - on his Major Championship debut at The Open in 2023 - but last week saw him excel in familiar surroundings over the Old Course at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie.

A final-round 66 saw him finish alongside Tommy Fleetwood, while he was one shot better than Robert MacIntyre and Brooks Koepka, among a host of other established players from around the world.

MacIntyre has become a source of friendship, with the pair playing together whenever possible in Scotland since the DP World Tour and PGA Tour winner's move back home.

And Stewart revealed a catch-up during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship served as a reminder that this was the time to take everything that was coming his way as he bids to seize the moment.

Speaking to the DP World Tour, Stewart explained: "It's funny, I actually met him last week, when I was coming out of the clubhouse and he just said, 'ride the wave, go for it'.

"He's always been very supportive of where I'm at, because he knows I'm kind of in the later stages of [my career], or I'm a bit older than he is...

"Yeah, he was like if you get the opportunity, just go for it."

Ayrshire-based Stewart, who represented Great Britain and Ireland at the Walker Cup in 2011, has won twice this year on the Tartan Pro Tour but he was still 979th in the Official World Golf Ranking prior to capitalising on a late invite to make his Dunhill Links debut.

However, bouyed by his display over links terrain he knows best and a rise of 496 places to a career-high 483rd, he hopes he can continue his momentum in the Spanish capital and perhaps even earn DP World Tour playing rights next year with another good performance.

"I think just in all honesty, the exact same as last week," he said of his approach.

"In my mind, it's another free hit. It's not somewhere I was expecting to be. Like last week I got such a late call-up to the event.

"So, really, I was on kind of autopilot in terms of how I was trying to perform.

"It wasn't like I was trying to shoot mega low scores or anything. I was just playing golf and I was really enjoying it.

"So I want to try and take that mindset of just enjoying it. staying quite aggressive for the most part."

In my mind, it's another free hit

While Scotland is where Stewart has played the most, the tree-lined parkland layout of Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid is not completely unfamiliar.

"It's a totally different style of golf, so I need to sort of figure that out a little bit," he added

"The course is really, really soft after the weather we've had, so it's a totally different challenge this week, but a challenge that I'm really looking forward to.

"It's a course I've been to before. I played here many years ago on the Alps Tour and it's a course that I'm very fond of."

Being in this environment, and in with a shot at winning Spain's national open, is something that at times appeared a long shot for Stewart but perseverance is being rewarded.

During the Covid-19 pandemic he, like many players, was forced to put away the clubs and step away from competing on the lower rungs of professional golf as he took on a job working at a hand sanitiser firm run by his friend’s father.

From there to now, Stewart is just feeling a sense of gratitude for the position in which he now finds himself.

"My close family have always told me they believed in me," he said.

"There are times, when things aren't going your way, when you feel like you're practising as hard as you've ever practised and things, results aren't going your way.

"It's tough, but they never lost sight of the fact that they believed that I could produce. So yeah, thankful that they stood by my side.

"To be honest, the response from players, especially this week, has been quite overwhelming as well. They've been really supportive.

"Loads of people, guys I don't know at all have been saying, 'well done', and asking me questions and stuff, so it's been really nice."