ALAN LOCKHART WINS GLENEAGLES SCOTTISH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

By RON MARSHALL, PGA Scottish Region Press Officer

A nip-and-tuck battle all the way round among the final three ended in a fine victory for Alan Lockhart in the Gleneagles PGA Scottish Championship over the King’s Course. But the winner is still undecided as to whether his future lies in competitive golf.

After a titanic struggle with Jim McKinnon and Chris Currie, the new champion from Ladybank, whose closing 68 for a 275 aggregate gave him a one-shot win over Currie and former champion Greig Hutcheon, claimed he’d not been making a living in tournaments.
“For the last three or four years I’ve been playing as often as I can but not really making much money. I’m getting married in Malta next April (to Emma McElhill), and so far she’s been the breadwinner – but not this week (the winner’s cheque is £8,600).
Lockhart’s now achieved what he called a ‘nice wee double’ – the Scottish Under-25 championship having been achieved six years ago.
As overnight leader McKinnon faltered with a bogey at 14 and three putts at the 17th, Lockhart’s world suddenly got brighter as he successively holed for par from 25 feet at the 13th, chipped to inches for a birdie on the 14th and chipped in at the short 16th for a saving par.
Currie, the least experienced of the three at the sharp end, put on a splendid show, culminating in a share of second place, worth what must seem like a king’s ransom to a newly trained assistant, £5,250.
Banchory’s Greig Hutcheon and Scott Henderson (King’s Links), the North-east's brightest stars on the Tartan Tour, turned in brilliant performances but finished an agonising one and two shots respectively behind Lockhart.
Playing together, former champion Hutcheon fired a three-under 68 for a 276 aggregate, while Henderson carded a 67 for 277. After checking their cards, both looked on as the final three-ball played the last hole, in which Lockhart needed a par five to win. And that he accomplished with a 90-yard pitch to 20 feet, and two putts, the latter a mere tap-in.
Hayston’s Stephen Gray, most folk’s idea of a good bet before the championship, had to be content with a tie for 24th on 291, but he had the consolation of winning the Tartan Tour’s Order of Merit, by 52 points, from Hutcheon.
David Patrick makes up the three who’ll contest the end-of-season Titleist Play-offs from the PGA British and Irish regions.

+The above picture of Alan Lockhart with the Scottish PGA championship trophy is by courtesy of Andy Forman.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
King's Course.
Par 284 (4x71)
275 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 71 68 68 68 (£8,800).
276 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 70 70 68 68, Chris Currie (Caldwell) 70 67 69 70 (£5,250 each).
277 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 72 69 67 69, James McKinnon (Irvine) 68 71 66 72 (£2,800 each).
278 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range) 71 68 70 69 (£2,250
281 Gareth Wright (West Linton) 71 70 68 72 (£1,800.
282 Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle) 68 71 71 72 (£1,500).
283 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 72 73 71 67, Craig Ronald (Carluke) 71 72 70 70 (£1,250 each).

284 Chris Kelly (Cawder0 70 71 72 71, Mark Kerr (Murrayfield) 68 66 7476 (£1,050 each).

286 David Patrick (Elie Sports Centre) 75 72 71 68, Samuel Cairns (Colville Park) 72 73 72 69, James McGhee (Duddingston) 71 74 71 70 (£816 each).

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