Fraser Mann defends Scottish PGA

decision to shorten Gleneagles test

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Fraser Mann, the long-serving Musselburgh professional, defended the decision to move tees forward in the opening round of the Gleneagles Scottish Championship, saying tournament officials had been in a catch-22 situation.
Craig Lee, one of four co-leaders after the first day over the Perthshire course, claimed it was an insult to the top home-based pros to find themselves playing a course nearly 300 yards shorter than it had been for the Tartan Tour's flagship eventast season.

The recent Northern Open winner, who played on the European Tour last season, spoke out after coming off a PGA Centenary Course playing at 6,662 yards, with Paul McKechnie, one of the pros at the Braid Hills Golf Centre, hitting a wedge for his second shot at the 16th and 18th holes – both par-5s.

But Mann (pictured above), who is one of the most experienced players on the Scottish circuit, having played in the national championship for nearly 30 years, admitted he had sympathy with tournament officials after hearing about the criticism.

"It's a Catch 22 situation," said the title winner over the course in 2002. "The course has been set up fairly for the first two rounds and I think that has come on the back of last week's Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at Dundonald Links, where the course was set up very tough – in fact, it was nearly impossible.

"What some people maybe don't realise is that there are more people playing in the event this year (the field has been increased from 135 to 159) and the course has been set up to make it easier for players to get round as quickly as possible.

"However, even at 6,662 yards, this is still a seriously tough golf course because you've still got to hit the fairways. Yes, the course yesterday was the easiest I've ever played it but, at the same time, the rough is also the thickest I've seen it.

"I think what you saw after the first round was a few guys saying things in the heat of the moment and, come the weekend, you are still going to see the best players in the field up at the top of the leaderboard."

Two players with differing views about the length of the course were playing partners Mark Kerr, who is attached to Dalmahoy, and Kenny Walker, the former Royal Burgess amateur ace who is back home from Thailand for his annual summer break.

"It is a bit annoying that they've made it so short – indeed, they'd be as well holding it at Auchterarder," said Kerr after opening with a 72, admitting he'd dug in well for that after being three-over after five holes.

Walker, who flies the flag for Castle Park in East Lothian when's he back home, shot 71 and said: "The course is nice and short this year and that gives me a chance if I can play half decent."

Among the players who set out today sharing the lead was Mark King, a former SPGA match-play champion who has been attached to the Kingsfield Golf Centre at Linlithgow almost since it opened.

Next best among the Lothians contingent was Duddingston's Tom Buchanan, who was sitting inside the top ten after a 70 that included five birdies and would have been better but for a double-bogey at the seventh.

"I four-putted there but that was my only blip and now I've just got to try and keep it going in the second round," said Buchanan, a former winner of the Paul Lawrie Assistants' Match-play Championship.

Ally MacKenzie, another of the trainees in Alastair McLean's shop at Duddingston, had Hibs star Ian Murray – the pair have been friends since childhood – on the bag as he shot an adventurous 77.

"I was four-under for 15 holes but nine-over for the other three, the main damage being done by a 9 at the third," said MacKenzie.

After having what he described as a "holocaust" when opening with a 90 in the Northern Open at Spey Valley, Lee Harper, who is attached to Archerfield Links, admitted a 71 had helped put a spring back in his step.

And Peter Mitchell, a former Lothians boys' champion who is connected to The Hermitage course in Edinburgh, and James McGhee, who played at Duddingston as an amateur but is now at Turnhouse, also had 71s, as did former PGA champion Andrew Oldcorn from Kings Acre.

Mann missed a handful of putts inside five feet in his 74, claiming that was the worst he could have done on a day when he'd played "nicely" from tee to green.

Gullane assistant pro Heather MacRae set out today with a good chance of making the cut, the 25-year-old covering her last 16 holes in level-par after starting bogey, double-bogey.

Looking forward to her return today, MacRae said: "I won't be as nervous and, hopefully, I'll be able to go out and play as well as I can."