Arnott seeks cruise control
12/05/2016
Rob Arnott is targeting a hat-trick of Scottish victories after taking charge of the Silversea Senior PGA Professional Championship at Foxhills.
The Bishopbriggs Golf Range pro is hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Scots Kenny Hutton and defending champion Fraser Mann and take the title north of the border again – having finally made the cut at the Surrey resort.
The 52-year-old closed on four-under-par 141 after returning to complete eight holes of his first round over the Bernard Hunt course before tackling the Longcross. The majority of the field had to play both courses today after only 160 minutes of play was possible on the first day due to heavy rain.
Arnott’s opening round of three-under 70 included the bonus of a hole in one on the eighth – his third in competition. He was cruising along in the afternoon with three birdies in his opening nine holes, offset by a bogey on the first. He dropped another shot on the 13, but eagled the par five 14th as a ‘shot of the day’ approach shot finished five foot from the hole.
However, a bogey-bogey finish, took an element of gloss off the day, but Arnott was content to have made it through to the final day and be in the hunt for a share of the increased £40,000 prize fund.
“On 17 I hit the worst shot of the day and then on 18 my ball was plugged in a bunker when I took three wood off the tee when I should I have taken the driver,” he said.
“It only moved five feet out of the bunker and I thought it was going to hit me in the face at first. I am slightly disappointed with the finish but I am in the mix for the final round on the Friday rather than finding myself on the road back to Glasgow.
“It would be nice to win it and make it a hat-trick as the last two winners have been Scottish.”
Two shots behind on two-under-par 143 is South Winchester’s Richard Adams, who has had to leave his house move to his ‘other half’, while he finds himself in contention for the title.
Like Arnott, he returned to complete his first round. Adams turned round his three-over-par opening nine holes with a flawless five-under-par back nine over the Bernard Hunt course for a 71.
On the Longcross he reached the turn one-over for the round after two birdies were undone by three bogeys. Another flawless back nine included one solitary birdie on the 10th for a level par round.
He said: “I started with a double bogey on the very first hole and it’s been a very long day ever since. I had a good back nine this morning that got me going and I’ve been steady this afternoon.
“I’ll just have to try and enjoy tomorrow as it’s a position I’m not normally in.
“I’m also moving house tomorrow – on Friday the 13th, which is going to make it interesting. The other half is going to have to take most of it!”
Defending champion Mann is amongst a quartet of players in a share of eighth position on three-over-par. He carded two 74s.
Arnott and Adams were the only players to finish under par with the final players finishing their rounds in the twilight. The top 50 players and ties made the cut which came at eight-over-par.
