Chris Kelly closes in on M and H Scottish PGA

 

Championship hat-trick at Gleneagles

PGA NEWS RELEASE

Chris Kelly is on course for a third M and H Logistics Scottish PGA Championship victory after stretching his lead to five shots heading into the final round at Gleneagles.

The 40-year-old, pictured today by Kenny Smith, who won the Tartan Tour's flagship event for the first time in 2003 before reclaiming the title in 2015, backed up his brilliant opening 63 on the King's Course with an equally impressive 67.

On 10-under-par, he holds a healthy cushion over this season's Order of Merit leader, Paul O'Hara, in an event that has been reduced to 54 holes due to weather delays earlier in the week.

"Astounded," said Kelly of his position, having cut back his playing schedule this year after taking up a post under Ian Collins at Stirling back in February.

On a day when a wind switch ensured another stiff test at the Perthshire venue, Kelly eagled the sixth after hitting a 6-iron to three feet before a lost ball saw that good work done straight away through a double-bogey 6 at the next.

The former Tartan Tour No 1 responded to that setback exactly the way he wanted with a birdie-2 at the eighth before coming home in 33, two-under.

"Where you ordinarily make your score on this course - the back nine - was playing tough today," reported Kelly. "As an example, I couldn't get over the saddle with my drive at the last and I can't remember the last time that was the case."

As well as the leader has played so far, he reckons he still has his work cut out to secure a title hat-trick - and not just because O'Hara is the man leading the chase.

"I'm not sure what has happened over the last two days, but hey ho," commented Kelly. "It may all still come crashing down because a five-shot lead can be lost in the first five holes here.

"I've played well and putted really well, so I'll just go out tomorrow and see what happens."

O'Hara, who was pipped in a play-off for the title by Gareth Wright 12 months ago, has negotiated the opening 36 holes with just one bogey.

"My driving has become a big strength since I started working with David Orr and I've only been in the thick stuff once over the last two days," said the North Lanarkshire Leisure-attached player.

"It is funny because I've been looking at some of the places I'd found in the past and thought, 'jeezo, I must have been rubbish then'."

Helped by winning the Northern Open at Lossiemouth earlier in the year, O'Hara leads the Order of Merit title race from Greig Hutcheon and Gareth Wright.

"I've not won it yet, though," pointed out O'Hara. "My place in the Play-Offs is secured and that's good, but there's still a lot to play for tomorrow."

Newmachar's Greg McBain (68-69) sits third on three-under, two shots ahead of Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Inchmarlo), Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Cameron Marr (Musselburgh) and Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range).

Defending champion Wright (West Linton) sits 15 shots behind Kelly in joint-19th after rounds of 75 and 70.
The leading 32 and ties who qualified for the final round had 36-hole totals of 147 and better.

Nairn's Murray Urquhart (74-74) was one of six players who missed out on 148.

QUALIFIERS FOR FINAL ROUND
par 140 (2x70)
130 C Kelly (Stirling) 63 67
135 P O'Hara (N Lanarkshire Leisure) 66 69
137 G McBain (Newmachar) 68 69
139 N Fenwick (Dunbar) 70 69, G Hutcheon (PLGC Inchmarlo) 70 69, C Marr (Musselburgh) 71 68, R Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 72 67 .
141 G Brown (Montrose Links) 71 70
142 P Wardell (North Berwick) 70 72, S Binning (Mearns Castle) 71 71, J Bell (Lanark) 71 71, J McCreadie (Lanark) 68 74
143 P Robinson (Largs) 66 77, T Higson (Gleneagles) 673 70
144 J Fraser (Houston Oaks) 72 72, R Leeds (Archerfield Links) 71 7, R Cameron (Saltire Energy) 74 70; G Fox (Clydeway Golf) 69 75.
145 J Lomas (Caprington) 70 75, G Wright (West Linton) 75 70, K Nicol (Dunes) 76 69, C Currie (Caldwell) 73 72, C Ronald (Carluke) 71 74.
146 P McKechnie (Braid Hills) 74 72, L Vannet (Craibstone) 71 75, R Munro (Duddingston) 71 75, S O'Hara (N Lanarkshire Leisure), G Hay (Grantown on Spey) 76 70, S Gray (Lanark) 70 76, C Doak (Renaissance Club) 74 72.
147 R McConnachie (Peterculter) 74 73, J McGhee (Swanston New) 78 69, A Forsyth (Mearns Castle) 80 67.


MISSED THE CUT

MC	Murray Urquhart   Nairn Golf Club	+4	F	+8	74	74		148
MC	Calum Lawson   Gleneagles Hotel	+2	F	+8	76	72		148
MC	Martin Pottinger   American Golf	+6	F	+8	72	76		148
MC	Craig Matheson   Falkirk Tryst Golf Club	+2	F	+8	76	72		148
MC	Graeme McDougall   Elie Links	E	F	+8	78	70		148
MC	Marc Owenson   Gullane Golf Club	+1	F	+8	77	71		148
MC	Keir McNicoll   Carnoustie Golf Links	+4	F	+9	75	74		149
MC	Andrew Jowett   Gleneagles Hotel	+3	F	+9	76	73		149
MC	Christopher McMaster   Downfield Golf Club	E	F	+9	79	70		149
MC	Ian Graham   Crow Wood Golf Club	+2	F	+9	77	72		149
MC	Michael Patterson   Kilmacolm Golf Club	+2	F	+10	78	72		150
MC	Cameron Farrell   Cardross Golf Club	+3	F	+11	78	73		151
MC	Kamran Zeynalov   Portlethen Golf Club	+11	F	+11	70	81		151
MC	Scott Grant   Scotscraig Golf Club	+6	F	+11	75	76		151
MC	Craig Goodwin   Strathlene Golf Club	+4	F	+12	78	74		152
MC	Fraser McKenna   Caldwell Golf Club	+4	F	+12	78	74		152
MC	Gareth Hardy   Prestwick St Nicholas G.C.	+2	F	+12	80	72		152
MC	Scott Henderson   Kings Links Golf Centre	+4	F	+12	78	74		152
MC	Andrew Pillans   Banchory Golf Club	+7	F	+13	76	77		153
MC	Rodger Clarke   Golf Dedication Centre	+4	F	+13	79	74		153
MC	Iain Colquhoun   Loch Lomond Golf Club	+9	F	+13	74	79		153
MC	Craig Sutherland   Cherry Lodge Golf Club	+9	F	+14	75	79		154
MC	Neil Colquhoun   Merchants of Edinburgh GC	+9	F	+15	76	79		155
MC	Fraser Mann   Carnoustie Golf Links	+5	F	+15	80	75		155
MC	Kenny Hutton   Downfield Golf Club	+9	F	+16	77	79		156
MC	Rory Tinker   Piperdam Golf and Leisure Resort	+9	F	+16	77	79		156
MC	Alastair Forrow   Whitecraigs Golf Club	+8	F	+17	79	78		157
MC	Alan Welsh   Cathkin Braes Golf Club	+7	F	+17	80	77		157
MC	Craig Armstrong   Burntisland Golf Club	+6	F	+17	81	76		157
MC	Mark O'Donnell   Linlithgow Golf Club	+14	F	+18	74	84		158
MC	Mark Loftus   Caldwell Golf Club	+7	F	+23	86	77		163
MC	Fraser Malcolm   Glen Golf Club	+11	F	+24	83	81		164
WD	Myles Cunningham   Gullane Golf Club
RTD	Ogilvie Robertson   Panmure Golf Club			+10

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