Greig Hutcheon shares lead in
San Domenico Grand Final

From Paul Symes, Challenge Tour Press Officer
The opening round of the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final was dominated by players most in need of big performances, as Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon and South Africa’s Branden Grace led the way, with England’s John Morgan in a quartet of players one shot back on five under par.
With many of the players near the head of the Challenge Tour Rankings enduring an indifferent day at San Domenico Golf in Puglia, Italy, attention turned to the race to capture the last few remaining places on The European Tour.
With Peterculter's Hutcheon currently in 33rd place in the Rankings, Grace two places back in 35th and Morgan in 27th position, the trio could not have timed their respective returns to form any better as they seek to leapfrog into the top 20 and so join The Race to Dubai.
Despite bogeying the final hole after getting a “flier” from the rough with his approach shot, Hutcheon was still in upbeat mood as he reflected on a six under par round of 65.
He said: “Overall I’ve got to be pretty pleased, because it’s a decent start to a big week. Realistically I probably need to finish in the top three to have any chance of getting my European Tour card for next year, so I’m under no illusions – it’s going to be tough. But that’s helped me with my focus coming into the week, and hopefully I’ll be up to the challenge – only time will tell. If I keep putting the way I did, I might have half a chance.”
Morgan, whose round of 66 featured six birdies, finds himself is in a similar predicament, having at times been let down by a lack of consistency this term. But the genial 30 year old – who made his name on the US PGA Tour before a series of epileptic fits affected his game – is determined to return to former glories and so banish the disappointment of a season which has, by his own elevated standards, stuttered somewhat.
He said: “I’m a happy boy. I only made one mistake all day when I overclubbed on the 13th hole, where I should probably have been thinking about a birdie and ended up walking away with a bogey. So my day could’ve been even better, and I had a few birdie chances coming down the home stretch which I didn’t convert. But most of my putts on the front nine dropped in, so I can’t complain too much because life’s pretty good. The weather’s gorgeous and the course is in great shape, so we should all count our blessings to be here.
“Having said that, life would be a lot better still if I could get a win under my belt here, which would probably take me into the top 15 and get me a good card for next season. I know what’s needed – now I’ve just got to go out there and do it! It’s easier said than done, but I’m going to give it everything this week. My season hasn’t been great compared to what I know I’m capable of, but I can forget about all that if I finish on a high here.”
Morgan shares third place with Spain’s Rafael Cabrera Bello, Finland’s Roope Kakko and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger.

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