Hutcheon nabs lead as Kelly posts poor day

A LIFETIME spent clattering away at a golf ball brings its own aches, pains, hirples and hobbles, but it takes a lot to keep Greig Hutcheon down.

“I’m 46 now, there’s wear and tear on the hip and I just have to do stretching and use the Deep Heat,” said Hutcheon as he explained the methods that keeps the increasingly brittle cranks and pulleys of this golfing machine going.

Hutcheon certainly got going in the M&H Logistics Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles yesterday. While overnight leader Chris Kelly engaged reverse gear and watched his four-shot advantage evaporate as he sagged to a 76 after an opening 62, Hutcheon harnessed the testing conditions to fine effect and pieced together a lively six-under 64 on the King’s course to assume command with an eightunder 132. It wasn’t all plain-sailing, mind you.

“It was a real yo-yo round,” he said after finishing a shot clear of Greg McBain.

The intrepid nature of Hutcheon’s round continued coming home and his tee-shot at the driveable par-four 14th almost trundled in the hole. “Someone standing near the green told me it hit the pin,” added the Aberdonian of a shot that ended up spawning an eagle-two. “I had a hole-in-one last year and that was my first in 30 years.”

Another eagle on the last put the finishing touches to an actionpacked day. “I needed to post something with Chris [Kelly] starting well,” said Hutcheon who was unaware that Kelly was slithering down the order.