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Record Prizemoney for 2008 Tartan Tour

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Aberdonian Greig Hutcheon, Scotland’s top professional golfer in domestic competition for the past two years, pictured below, can’t wait to get back in action when this year’s Tartan Tour, offering record prize money, resumes at the beginning of April.

 

Winner of the 2007 and ‘06 PGA Scottish Region Order of Merit, the Peterculter pro will again steal a march on his rivals by enjoying some early-season sunshine golf, competing in Trinidad next month, and making his usual three-week pilgrimage to Penina on the Algarve.

“My dad has a place there”, explained Greig, “And even although the main courses get busy, I usually practise on the wee academy course, mainly par-3’s with wee greens, just going round and round. It’s great fun.”

Greig was enthusing over the PGA’s 2008 schedule announced today (Monday) at Gleneagles Hotel by regional secretary, Gordon Dewar.

A prize fund in excess of £750,000, topping the previous best by around £20,000, is showcased by the flagship event, the Gleneagles Scottish Championship, and the other 72-hole championship, the Northern Open.

The move of the latter after four years at Skibo Castle’s Carnegie Links to designer Dave Thomas’s fledgling Spey Valley course at Aviemore, open less than two years, provides a new challenge for the country’s top pros.

Hutcheon has played the 7,200-yarder twice. “It’s one helluva serious walk - probably around eight miles - but what a super layout, and the views are spectacular. I think the boys will enjoy it.”

The Callaway company, backers of three 36-hole events last year, have increased that number to five for the coming season, co-sponsored by Audi cars. And Dewar has come up with a novel attraction for the country’s trainee professionals.

“I’ve had the feeling that we don’t provide enough competition for our young pros, so, thanks to another benefactor who also wants to remain anonymous (the Northern Open has enjoyed generosity worth £45,000 prize money from a Skibo club member for each of the last three years)we’re running what we’re calling a Linksland Series, playing some of the country’s finest courses.”
Eighteen holes round Kingsbarns, Dunbar, and the underrated Prestwick St Nicholas will culminate in the top 30 players heading for another treat, 36 holes at the new Renaissance course, which boasts Muirfield to the west and the two Archerfield courses on the other side.

Around 80 one-day pro-ams in every corner of the country will supplement the Order of Merit, whose schedule (all 36 holes except where stated) is:
April 2/3: Callaway, Monifieth
April 23/24: Callaway, Craigielaw
May 7/8: Wateraid, Kilmarnock Barassie
May 13-16: 72-hole Northern Open, Spey Valley, Aviemore
June 7/8: Wishaw
July 2-6: 72-hole Gleneagles Scottish Championship, PGA Centenary.
July 22/23: Callaway, Lanark.
August 5/6: Deer Park Masters, Livingston
August 11/12: Volvo Trucks/Ayrshire Hospice, West Kilbride
September 6/7: Kerr Investments Classic, Dumfries & Galloway
September 22/23: Callaway (venue TBA)
October 8/9: Callaway, Dundonald Links.
Young Professionals’ Order of Merit:
August 17/18: N. Lanarkshire Council/Pro-Guide 54 holes, Shotts
August 25-27: Paul Lawrie Match-play Championship, Newburgh-on-Ythan.
September 16-18: 72-hole national championship, Muckhart
October 5/6: Royal Dornoch Masters
Linksland Series (Kingsbarns April 7, Dunbar April 21, Prestwick St Nicholas June 16, Renaissance October 20).