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 eight-under 132. It wasn’t all plain-sailing, mind you. His front nine was as eventful as an Evel Knievel jump and his outward half featured just one par amid a potpourri of five birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey.
“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, where his 9-iron dropped to within a few feet, put the finishing touches to an action-packed day. “I needed to post something with Chris [Kelly] starting well,” said Hutcheon who was unaware that Kelly was slithering down the order.
With two Scottish PGA titles to his name, as well as seven Tartan Tour order of merit crowns, Hutcheon’s appearance at the sharp end yet again speaks volumes for his competitive longevity. There are other odds and sods to deal with too, of course.
“My wife has me as a part-time housemaid,” he added with a wry smile. “She’s working a lot now. If I’m not golfing I’m doing house duties.”
McBain stayed on the offensive with a hard-earned 67, which kept him in the merry midst of affairs. His round concluded in a fairly ragged fashion but good par saves at 15, 16 and 17 kept him hanging on before he found the fairway bunker on 18 but recovered to hole a putt of 40 feet for a closing birdie.
Paul O’Hara, joint runner-up a year ago and beaten in a play-off in 2016, put himself in the hunt again with a 66 for a 134. Having been four-over after just five holes of his first round, the salvage operation has been pretty impressive.
“I knew I had birdies in me and I’ve just kept battling on,” he said.
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