Scottish PGA event reverts to original three-day format

Bookless Cup will be contested by 10

amateurs in Northern Open at Aviemore

A total of 10 amateurs will be competing for the Bookless Cup when the Northern Open championship is played over the Spey Valley course at Aviemore from May 26 to 28.
They include Sunday's Phillips Trophy winner at Cruden Bay, Stewart McCulloch (McDonald Ellon). The others are: Neil Howitt (Nairn), Don Garrett (Huntly), Stewart Pert (Huntly), Scott Green (Meldrum House), Lee McDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Stuart McKendrick (Dunkeld & Birnam), Andrew Campbell (Deeside), Graham Murray (Cullen) and Nick Robson (Meldrum House).
The Bookless Cup, which goes to the leading amateur who completes 72 holes, has been won in recent years by Jimmy Gunn (Royal Dornoch), now competing as a professional on the Gateway Tour in Arizona, and George Murray (Anstruther) who is a pro on the Challenge Tour.
Entry fee for the amateurs in the Northern Open is £60.
There will be a cut to the leading 40 players and ties after the first 36 holes. The qualifiers will play two rounds on the final day, Thursday, May 28.
Until recent times, the Northern Open was always a three-day event with a cut after two rounds and the qualifiers playing 36 holes on the final day, i.e. a Thursday.
The Scottish PGA has decided to revert to that three-day format after stretching it to a four-day, one-round-a-day-format over the past decade or so.
"In these tough financial times, an extra day means extra costs for all concerned, so we thought it best to condense this year's Northern Open to three days," said Gordon Dewar, the Scottish PGA secretary.