TARTAN TOUR RECORD:
2008 SCHEDULE
WORTH MORE
THAN £750,000

By RON MARSHALL
PGA SCOTTISH REGION PRESS OFFICER
Aberdonian Greig Hutcheon, Scotland’s top professional golfer in domestic competition for the past two years, can’t wait to get back in action when this year’s Tartan Tour, offering record prize money, resumes at the beginning of April.
Winner of the 2007 and 2006 PGA Scottish Region Order of Merit, the Peterculter pro will again steal a march on his rivals by enjoying some early-season sunshine golf, competing in Trinidad next month, and making his usual three-week pilgrimage to Penina on the Algarve.
“My dad has a place there”, explained Greig, “And even although the main courses get busy, I usually practise on the wee academy course, mainly par-3s with wee greens, just going round and round. It’s great fun.”
Greig was enthusing over the PGA’s 2008 schedule announced today at Gleneagles Hotel by region secretary Gordon Dewar (pictured above).
A prize fund in excess of £750,000, topping the previous best by around £20,000, is showcased by the flagship event, the Gleneagles Scottish Championship, and the other 72-hole championship, the Northern Open.
The move of the latter after four years at Skibo Castle’s Carnegie Links to designer Dave Thomas’s fledgling Spey Valley course at Aviemore, open less than two years, provides a new challenge for the country’s top pros.
Hutcheon has played the 7,200-yarder twice. “It’s one helluva serious walk – probably around eight miles – but what a super lay-out, and the views are spectacular. I think the boys will enjoy it.”
The Callaway company, backers of three 36-hole events last year, have increased that number to five for the coming season, co-sponsored by Audi cars. And Dewar has come up with a novel attraction for the country’s trainee professionals.
“I’ve had the feeling that we don’t provide enough competition for our young pros, so, thanks to another benefactor who also wants to remain anonymous (the Northern Open has enjoyed generosity worth £45,000 prize money from a Skibo club member for each of the last three years) we’re running what we’re calling a Linksland Series, playing some of the country’s finest courses.”
Eighteen holes round Kingsbarns, Dunbar, and the under-rated Prestwick St Nicholas will culminate in the top 30 players heading for another treat - 36 holes at the new Renaissance course, which boasts Muirfield to the west and the two Archerfield courses on the other side.
Around 70 one-day pro-ams ine very corner of the country will supplement the Order of Merit.

ORDER OF MERIT EVENTS
(All 36 holes unless stated otherwise)
APRIL
2-3: Callaway, Monifieth.
23-24: Callaway, Craigielaw.
MAY
7-8: Scottish Wateraid, Kilmarnock Barassie.
13-16: Northern Open (72), Spey Valley, Aviemore
JUNE
7-8: Wishaw.
JULY
2-6: Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship (72), PGA Centenary.
22-23: Callaway, Lanark.
AUGUST
5-6: Deer Park Masters, Livingston.
11-12: Volvo Trucks/Ayrshire Hospice, West Kilbride.
SEPTEMBER
6-7: Kerr Investments Classic, Dumfries & Galloway.
22-23: Callaway (venue TBA)
OCTOBER
8-9: Callaway, Dundonald Links.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS' ORDER OF MERIT EVENTS
AUGUST
17-18: North Lanarkshire Council/Pro-Guide (54), Shotts
25-27: Paul Lawrie Match-play Championship, Newburgh-on-Ythan.
SEPTEMBER
16-18: National championship (72), Muckhart
OCTOBER
5-6: Royal Dornoch Masters

LINKSLAND SERIES FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
April 7: Kingsbarns.
April 21: Dunbar.
June 16: Prestwick St Nicholas.
October 20: Renaissance, Archerfield.

OTHER DATES, VENUES
APRIL
14: Scottish Wateraid 36-hole pro-am qualifying (Kilmarnock Barassie).
15: Northern Open qualifying (Kilmarnock Barassie).
22: Audi pro-am (Craigielaw).
30: SSE pro-am (Carnoustie).
MAY
2: Teddy Bear pro-am (Turnberry).
5: PGA Assistants qualifying (Auchterarder).
9: Cambuslang Special Olympics pro-am.
11: Scotscraig pro-am.
12 Northern Open company day (Spey Valley).
17: Buchanan Castle pro-am.
18: Brechin pro-am.
23: Lochwinnoch pro-am.
245: Portpatrick pro-am.
25: Bishopbriggs pro-am.
26: Wishaw 36-hole pro-am qualifying.
27: West Lothian pro-am.
28: Ben pro-am (Cardross).
30: Eastwood pro-am.
31: West Dunbartonshire pro-am (Dalmuir).
JUNE


1: Monkland Masters pro-am (Drumpellier).


2: Glenmuir qualifying (Blairgowrie).


4: Pollock pro-am.


6: Cawder pro-am.


10: Parkdean pro-am (Ayr Belleisle).


11-12: Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship (Downfield).


13: Sense pro-am (East Renfrewshire).


14: Free Press & Stena Line pro-am (Stranraer).


17: Professionals pro-am (Bonnyton).


18: Strathaven pro-am.


19: Douglas Park pro-am.


21: Portlethen pro-am.


22: Edzell pro-am.


23: Kemnay pro-am.


27: Torrance House pro-am.


28: Hayston pro-am.


Date to be confirmed: Airdrie pro-am.


JULY


9: Deer Park Masters qualifying (Deer Park).


10: Volvo/Ayrshire Hospice pro-am qualifying (West Kilbride).


11: Newmachar pro-am.


12: Clober pro-am.


14: Dumfries & County pro-am.


15: Paul Lawrie young pros qualifying (West Lothian).


16: Shotts/Pro-Guide young pros qualifying.


18: Prestonfield pro-am.


19: Glencruitten pro-am.


20: Bothwellcastle pro-am.


21: Audi pro-am (Lanark).


25: Grampian Houston Junior Fund pro-am (venue tbc).


27: De Vere Deluxe pro-am (The Carrick).


28: Gulf Air qualifying (Crail Golfing Society).


AUGUST


1: McDonald Ellon pro-am.


2: Montrose pro-am.


7: Meldrum House young pros pro-am.


8: Turriff pro-am.


9: Aberdeen Petroleum Club pro-am (Peterculter).


10: Troon Welbeck pro-am.


13: Glenbrae four-ball qualifying (venue tbc).


14 Kerr Investments qualifying (Dumfries & Galloway).


15: Stirling pro-am.


16: Bathgate pro-am.


17: Sandyhills pro-am.


20: Fraserburgh pro-am.


21: VSA Tartan pro-am (Banchory).


24: Easter Moffat pro-am.


26: Ben shotgun pro-am (Archerfield).


29: Murrayfield pro-am.


30: Elderslie pro-am.


SEPTEMBER


3: Diageo Elgin pro-am (Elgin).


4: Discovery pro-am (Blairgowrie).


5: Crow Wood company day.


8: Orion Group SSPCA pro-am (Inverness).


9-10: Carnegie Club Invitational (Skibo Castle).


12: Acergy youjng pros pro-am (Insch).


13: Machrihanish pro-am.


14: Ladybankl pro-am.


25: World hickory pro-am (Craigielaw).


26: World hickory open championship (Craigielaw).


28: Royal Musselburgh pro-am.


OCTOBER


4: Royal Dornoch young pros pro-am.


7: Audi pro-am (Dundonald).


23: Monifieth four-ball.


Date to be confirmed: Mental Health Foundation pro-am (Prestwick).