McKINNON NEW LEADER of GLENEAGLES SCOTTISH PGA CH/SHIP

      JIM McKINNON, leader of the pack at Gleneagles. Image by courtesy of Andy Forman

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By RON MARSHALL, PGA Scottish Region Press Officer
Jim McKinnon reckons he’s tried to win the Gleneagles PGA Scottish Championship 14 times – but admits that after a super 66 in today's third round this will be the first time he’s been in real contention to take the major prize.
Over a soggy King’s Course, where the start of play was delayed for two-and-a-half hours because of heavy overnight rain, the 38-year-old Ayrshireman did most of his plundering of par on the front nine, with four birdies.
He then added another at the 10th in a bogey-free round, and even shrugged off the minor irritation of three-putting the par-five 18th, which would have put two strokes between himself and Chris Currie from Caldwell.
McKinnon credits Strathaven pro Stuart Kerr for the improvements to his game this year. “I haven’t seen Stuart since the beginning of last month, but he’s been very helpful. My game’s been very solid recently”
Currie’s fairy-tale challenge continued. Having begun his PGA training as a 25-year-old four years ago, he now considers himself free to concentrate on playing now that exams are over. And another sub-par show, this time a two-under 69, keeps him snapping at McKinnon’s heels from only a one-shot gap.
Alone in third place, Ladybank’s Alan Lockhart had no bogeys and three birdies – he made the point that his three-ball had only one bogey among them – and he would dearly love to add the national title to the under-25 title he picked up six years ago at Forres.
The North-east challenge gathered momentum when both Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) and Scott Henderson (King’s Links) burnished their prospects with fine sub-par rounds.
Former champion Hutcheon could scarcely have got off to a worse start – dropping shots at the second and third holes – but a scintillating run of birdies at six, seven, eight, and 10, and the par-five last, plus pars elsewhere had him signing for a three-under 68 and an aggregate of 208, just three shy of McKinnon.
Henderson, by dint of a super 67 – five birdies and a bogey – matched the aggregate of Hutcheon, his playing partner, and with just three players ahead of them can still have a chance of taking the title north.
Overnight leader Mark Kerr (Murrayfield) ran up a disastrous 7 at the par-four fourth, but was two-under for the closing 11 holes for a 74, three off the pace.

THIRD ROUND LEADERS
Par 213 (3x71)
205 James McKinnon (Irvine) 68 71 66.
206 Christopher Currie (Caldwell) 70 67 69.
207 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 71 68 68.
208 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 72 69 67, Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 70 70 68, Mark Kerr (Murrayfield) 78 66 74.
209 Gareth Wright (West Linton) 71 70 68, Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range) 71 68 70.
210 Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle) 68 71 71.
213 Craig Ronald (Carluke) 71 72 70, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 70 71 72, Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) 72 74 67

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THURSDAY'S FOURTH-ROUND TEE TIMES

9:00
Kenneth Hutton, Downfield Golf Club
Alastair Mackenzie, Renaissance Club
9:09
Ian Brown, Newent Golf Club
Michael Rae, Alyth Golf Club
9:18
Ross Cameron, McDonald Golf Club
Alan Reid, West Lothian Golf Club
Neil Fenwick, Dunbar Golf Club
9:27
Craig Gordon, Edinburgh Golf Centre
Colin Gillies, Kingsfield Golf Range
Scott Herald, Adam Hunter Golf
9:36
Stephen McAllister, Renaissance Club
Andrew Crerar, Panmure Golf Club
Ronan Rafferty, Roxburghe Golf Course
9:45
Grant Smith, Gleneagles Hotel Golf Courses
Greg McBain, Gamola Golf
Jason McCreadie, Buchanan Castle Golf Club
9:54
Nigel Scott-Smith, Palacerigg Golf Club
David Patrick, Elie Sports Centre
Graeme Brown, Montrose Golf Links Ltd.
10:08
Samuel Cairns, Colville Park Golf Club
James McGhee, Duddingston Golf Club
Paul McKechnie, Braid Hills Golf Range
10:17
Mark King, Kingsfield Golf Range
Stephen Gray, Hayston Golf Club
Steven Duncan, Carnoustie Golf Links
10:26
Craig Matheson, Falkirk Tryst Golf Club
Paul Wardell, Whitekirk Golf Course
David Orr, East Renfrewshire Golf Club
10:35
Tom Buchanan, Duddingston Golf Club
Chris Kelly, Cawder Golf Club
Craig Ronald, Carluke Golf Club
10:44
Graham Fox, Rowallan Castle Golf Club
Robert Arnott, Bishopbriggs Golf Range
Gareth Wright, West Linton Golf Club
10:53
Mark Kerr, Murrayfield Golf Club
Greig Hutcheon, Banchory Golf Club
Scott Henderson, Kings Links Golf Centre
11:02
Alan Lockhart, Ladybank Golf Club
Christopher Currie, Caldwell Golf Club
James McKinnon, Irvine Golf Club

+SPECTATORS WILL BE MADE MOST WELCOME FOR THE FINAL ROUND OF THE GLENEAGLES SCOTTISH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP OVER THE KING'S COURSE AT THE FIVE-STAR PERTHSHIRE VENUE.
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