Tartan Tour highlight at Spey Valley this week
Greig Hutcheon needs NorthernOpen win to complete set
By RON MARSHALL
Scottish PGA Press Officer
Scotland’s No. 1 professional golfer on the domestic front last year, Greig Hutcheon, would dearly love to win this week’s Northern Open, at Spey Valley in Aviemore.
The 35-year-old from Peterculter near Aberdeen, first came to prominence as an 18-year-old amateur player in the 1991 Northern Open at Lossiemouth, where he recalls he finished eighth or ninth – and that was good enough to get him recognition by the Scottish amateur selectors.
“I got my first youth international cap because of that performance”, recalled Hutcheon. “But although I’ve won just about everything in the professional circuit in Scotland these last 15 years or so, I’ve never managed to bag the Northern.”
The choice of Spey Valley suits the Aberdonian. “It’s a great course, just opened a couple of years ago, it’s in a beautiful part of the world, and I know Dave Thomas (the designer) will be looking very carefully at what’ll be the first professional event to be held there.”
Hutcheon, picture above by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), arrives in Aviemore on the back of some impressive Challenge Tour results; he finished fifth in the Kenyan Open, and earlier this month was runner-up in the Moroccan Classic, just a shot behind former Walker Cup man, Michael Hoey from Northern Ireland.
“I set a course record 65 in the opening round”, said Hutcheon, “And despite a double bogey at the 12th in the third round – and then three-putting 17 and 18, I still held a one-shot lead going into the final round.”
The 35-year-old from Peterculter near Aberdeen, first came to prominence as an 18-year-old amateur player in the 1991 Northern Open at Lossiemouth, where he recalls he finished eighth or ninth – and that was good enough to get him recognition by the Scottish amateur selectors.
“I got my first youth international cap because of that performance”, recalled Hutcheon. “But although I’ve won just about everything in the professional circuit in Scotland these last 15 years or so, I’ve never managed to bag the Northern.”
The choice of Spey Valley suits the Aberdonian. “It’s a great course, just opened a couple of years ago, it’s in a beautiful part of the world, and I know Dave Thomas (the designer) will be looking very carefully at what’ll be the first professional event to be held there.”
Hutcheon, picture above by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), arrives in Aviemore on the back of some impressive Challenge Tour results; he finished fifth in the Kenyan Open, and earlier this month was runner-up in the Moroccan Classic, just a shot behind former Walker Cup man, Michael Hoey from Northern Ireland.
“I set a course record 65 in the opening round”, said Hutcheon, “And despite a double bogey at the 12th in the third round – and then three-putting 17 and 18, I still held a one-shot lead going into the final round.”
There he was eventually overtaken by Hoey by a single shot, 276 to 277.
Among the other top names in the field for Spey Valley are defending champion, Murray Urquhart (Inverness), Chris Doak, who’s already won twice this season in Scotland and is a previous winner of the Northern, former PGA champion Andy Oldcorn, and Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), Northern Open winner in 2004 and 2006.
This week’s winner picks up a cheque for £8,000 from a purse of £45,000.
Among the other top names in the field for Spey Valley are defending champion, Murray Urquhart (Inverness), Chris Doak, who’s already won twice this season in Scotland and is a previous winner of the Northern, former PGA champion Andy Oldcorn, and Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), Northern Open winner in 2004 and 2006.
This week’s winner picks up a cheque for £8,000 from a purse of £45,000.
The 72-hole, four-day event tees off at Aviemore on Tuesday, ending on Friday.
Labels: Tartan Tour
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, May 12, 2008
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