Ted Innes-Ker tees up at Wales Open By MARTIN DEMPSTER Published on Thursday 31 May 2012 00:00 THE Duke of Roxburghe's son, Ted Innes-Ker, steps into the golfing spotlight today when he makes his European Tour debut in the ISPS Handa Wales Open at Celtic Manor. The 28-year-old, who turned professional 18 months ago after honing his game at The Roxburghe, the course owned by his father near Kelso, has received a sponsors" invitation for the £1.8 million event. It's a big step up for Innes-Ker, who hardly played any competitive golf as an amateur and a year ago was teeing up on a number of satellite circuits, including the Scottish-based Optical Express Tour, before getting two starts recently on the Asian Tour. "It's the most unbelievable opportunity for me and completely surreal," said Innes-Ker after partnering his father, a keen golfer himself, in yesterday's pro-am at the Newport venue. I'm used to playing in smaller events, not one where the prize-money is £1.8 million. After securing a degree at Edinburgh University - he became a close friend of Pippa Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge in that time - Innes-Kerr had a short spell as an event assistant with the European Tour before moving to WSM Sponsorship for three years. During that time, he developed a close relationship with ISPS, a charitable organisation founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa, and it was thanks to this week's title sponsor that he plucked up the courage to try his luck in the paid ranks. "I'd always wanted to turn professional, but my parents urged me to go and get a degree first," he added. My game's improved enormously in the last year, but this eventis a big step up for me and just making the cut is going to be a tall order. I will definitely be a little nervous but my aim is to really enjoy it and also learn from the experience. According to Craig Montgomerie, The Roxburghe's golf director, Innes-Ker is "more than capable" of extending his participation in the event beyond the opening two rounds, when he will have Spaniard Carlos Del Moral and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo for company. "Ted, who learned how to play the game here, certainly won't look out of place swing-wise and he's a great ball-striker," he told The Scotsman. He has been very dedicated since turning professional, having made that move after a unique amateur career. He did not have an official handicap so was not used to having a card and pencil in his hand. Innes-Ker, who has Steve Johnston, The Roxburghe's PGA professional, caddying for him in Wales, has ambitions to try for a European Tour card and will launch his bid on home soil later this year when the Borders course hosts a stage one event for the Qualifying School for the first time. On this year's Asian Tour, Innes-Ker played alongside Banchory's James Byrne in both the Cambodian Classic and Singapore Classic but missed the cut on each occasion.