The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Third eagle in row as Hutcheon gets flying
Two-time winner Greig Hutcheon eagled the final hole on the King’s Course at Gleneagles for the third day running to share the lead with Paul O’Hara in the M&H Logistics Scottish PGA Championship.
The pair are locked together on 10-under-par after 54 holes in the Tartan Tour’s flagship event, a shot ahead of Chris Currie, with Greg McBain, Paul McKechnie and Graham Fox also still in the mix heading into the final circuit.
Hutcheon, the halfway leader, had already dropped shots at the first and seventh in a stuttering start to his third round on a sunny day at the Perthshire venue before holing a 10-footer to save par at the 10th.
The 46-year-old, who is attached to Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, then birdied the 12th and 13th as he found his stride before once again taming the 18th hole on the James Braiddesigned course.
In the second round, he’d been left with just a 9-iron for his second shot from around 160 yards but from a new back being used for the first time it proved a tougher proposition.
“It was 295 yards to get over the saddle from the tee we used today and I watched both Paul O’Hara and Paul McKechnie (playing in the group in front) hit their tee shots into the upslope,” said Hutcheon.
“It was going to be a big hit for me to get over it so I said to “Shifter” (his caddie) that I should take a 5-wood off the tee to stay out of any trouble then hit a 5-wood again for my second shot.
“It worked a treat as my second shot from 277 yards came off perfectly. In fact, it almost went in for an albatross.”
O’Hara, who has been knocking at the door in this event in recent years, set up a last-day title tilt with a second successive six-under 66.
The 32-year-old was level for the day through seven holes before reeling off back-to-back birdies. He then added four more on the back nine to give himself a chance to claim the one big prize that has eluded him so far on the PGA in Scotland circuit.
Currie, a member of last year’s PGA Cup-winning side at Foxhills in Surrey, moved into third spot on the back of a 65, which was matched by Fox, the 2012 champion.
“It is good to be in the mix as my season has been mince,” said Erskine pro Currie.