McKINNON HEADS QUALIFIERS
AND RUSSELL WEIR IS GOING
BACK TO GLENMUIR EVENT

Jim McKinnon used his local knowledge of the Irvine Golf Club course to show a clean pair of heels to the rest of the field of 43 in today’s (Monday) Scottish qualifying round for the £78,000 Glenmuir club professionals’ championship at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, South Wales from June 12 to 15.
McKinnon, pictured right, playing over his home course, was always favourite to head the 13 qualfiers and he did it in style with a three-under-par round of 68 which also earned him a nice piece of crystal and a cheque for £250.
Jim, a member of the Scotland team of three who won the PGAs of Europe international team championship at the Roda Resort in Murcia, Spain last November, had birdies at the third, fourth, 14th and 15th and only one bogey, at the sixth, in halves of 33 and 35.
Joint runners-up on 70 were Paul Malone (Braid Hills Golf Centre) and Craig Ronald (Carluke).
On the 71 was a “blast from the past” – Russell Weir from Cowal, winner of the Glenmuir club pros’ title in 1987 and 1988, and making his first competitive appearance for some time.
There was a four-way play-off on 73 for the last two places, featuring Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg), Sandy Aird junior (Forres), Gavin Cook (Prestonfield) and Sandy Smith (Ladybank).
Cook and Smith were eliminated over the first two sudden-death holes.

QUALIFIERS
Par 71
68 James McKinnon (Irvine).
70 Paul Malone (Braid Hills Golf Centre), Craig Ronald (Carluke).
71 Chris Brown (Westin Turnberry), James Smallwood (Fereneze), Alastair Webster (Edzell), Craig Donnelly (Balbirnie Park), Russell Weir (Cowal).
72 Kenny Monaghan (Bothwell Castle), Alastair Forrow (Whitecraigs), Kenny Hutton (Downfield).
73 (after play-off) Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg), Sandy Aird junior (Forres).
+Beaten in play-off: Gavin Cook (Prestonfield), Sandy Smith (Ladybank).