Gareth Wright added another big win to his CV with a last-day surge to earn the £9,000 first prize in the Gleneagles Scottish PGA professional cham- pionship over the King’s Course at the Perthshire Ryder Cup venue yesterday.
Wright lost in a play-off to Chris Doak in 2010 and was pipped by one stroke by Greig Hutcheon last year.
The West Linton-based and London-born Welshman, 32, started the final day in joint sixth place, three shots behind halfway leaders Robert Arnott and Greg McBain, neither of whom could produce the sub-70 scores required over the last 36 holes.
But Wright could – twice. His third-round, three- under 68 pushed him up into a share of the lead on six-under 207 with McBain (71) and Arnott (71). Then Wright signed off with another 68 for a nine-under total of 275.
He had nine birdies and only three bogeys over the final two rounds. But in the final analysis, it was a pair of eagles, at the 10th and 18th in his second round, that really put wings on Wright’s title challenge.
Jason McCreadie won the Scottish PGA cham- pionship in 2008 and he got to within a shot of a play-off with Wright.
The Buchanan Castle man, well known for his ability to go low, produced a last-round, six-birdie 67 for a total of 276 to pick up the £6,500 runners-up prize.
McBain, now playing out of Kemnay, finished a creditable third with a closing 70 – 17 pars and a birdie at the 10th – for a total of 277 and a £4,500 payday.
Arnott, for so long in the front rank, eventually subsided to fourth place – a very good performance by the senior man who won the P and H championship recently. A couple of par rounds left him with a total of 278 to earn £3,250.
Defending champion Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) earned £2,300 in a tie for fifth place with Scott Herald and Scottish Alliance champion Chris Currie (Caldwell) on the 279 mark.
Hutcheon’s final two rounds of 69 and 68 would have made all the difference to McBain or Arnott.