ARNOTT MISSES OUT ON PLAY-OFF CHANCE AT DUNDONALD LINKS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Former PGA Cup player Robert Arnott has missed out on the opportunity to gain a place in this year's Great Britain and Ireland team for the match at CordeValle in the United States.
The Bishopbriggs Golf Range pro had a round of seven-over-par 79 in conditions of wind and rain, described by tournament director Roy Murray as "absolutely horrendous" - and left the Dundonald Links clubhouse early, thinking he had no chance of making the 12 qualifiers from the Scottish eliminator for the £78,000 Glenmuir PGA pro championship at The Belfry from June 14-17.
But the weather affected the scoring so much that two-over-par 74 was the best score, returned by both Norman Huguet (Musselburgh) and Scott Catlin (Greenburn) and 79 was the play-off mark for the last three places.
Arnott, pictured, was not there when his name was called and it became a four-way play-off for three places between Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), Alistair Brown (Whitecraigs), Calum Smith (Royal Musselburgh) and David Fleming (Prestwick).
In the sudden-death play-off, Lockhart got through at the first. Brown and Smith prevailed at the second hole, leaving David Fleming the odd man out.
"David will be first alternate and Robert Arnott will be second alternate as far as the Scottish qualifiers are concerned. If one or two of the 12 qualifiers drop out, then David will get the first place available and Robert the second," said Roy Murray.
There will be a field of 156 competitors - all the PGA Regions have held qualifying tournaments - competing over the PGA National course at The Belfry.
The team to represent GBandI in the PGA Cup in September will be based on the leading final individual scores.
Huguet had no birdies on his card but he did well on a damage limitation exericse on a weather-beating task he felt was akin to takling an assault courese. He had 16 pars and two bogeys (at the second and 12th).
Catlin had more variation about his figures. Birdies at the long third, long fifth and ninth but a double bogey 5 at the short fourth and single shots dropped at the eighth, 12th and long 14th.
Jamie Wales had birdies at two par-5s, the 14th and 18th, and bogeys at the short sixth, ninth, 12th, short 15th and 16th.
Ryder Cup referee Ian Taylor had a double bogey 6 at the first hole but did not let that dispirit him. He must have felt a lot better after birdieing the second and the long third. Bogeys did follow at the short fourth, seventh, 12th and 13th.


QUALIFIERS
Par 72
74 Norman Huguet (Musselburgh) 37-37, Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 36-38.
75 Jamie Wales (Kingsacre) 38-37.
76 Ian Taylor (Drumpellier) 38-38.
77 Anthony Mackrell (Playsportgolf), Jonas Hedberg (Royalo Aberdeen).
78 Nick Walton (Glasgow), George Mackechnie (Ternesse), Ewan Hogarth (Peebles).
79 (after play-off) Alistair Brown (Whitecraigs), Calum Smith (Royal Musselburgh), Alan Lockhart (Ladybank).
1st alternate David Fleming (Prestwick) - beaten in play-off; 2nd alternate - Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs).

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