Bruce aiming for Glenmuir bonus

Kent’s Bruce McDonald is aiming to build on his debut performance at last year’s Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship by clinching a return to the £78,000 final.

The 23-year-old, representing Pentland Golf and Etchinghill Golf Club in Folkestone, marked his debut year as a fully qualified PGA professional with a top 25 finish at De Vere Carden Park and is targeting a swift return by coming through the qualifier at Hindhead on May 23.

McDonald, who enjoyed rubbing shoulders with some of the best PGA pros from across the UK at Carden Park, admitted the tournament had given him a taste for the competition which this year will be staged at Slaley Hall in Northumberland and be contested over 72-holes from June 11-14.

If he can clinch a top five finish in the Peugeot-supported final, McDonald will also find himself landing a spot in the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team to face the United States in September, also at Slaley Hall.

McDonald, who is also aiming to qualify for the Open Championship at Muirfield, said: “I didn’t do much as an Assistant but last year I tried to qualify for the Glenmuir final for the first time and made it through.

“Then I found myself playing alongside some really experienced players and enjoyed it.

“I liked Carden Park as I’m a big hitter and that suited my game. It was awesome to play in an event like that and do quite well, so now I’d like more of it and I certainly want to get back to the final this year and feel as though my game is heading in the right direction.”

Also playing at Hindhead will be Dusan Gavrilovic (Studley Wood Golf Club), Nico Els ( Clandon Regis),  James Green  (Portsmouth Golf Course),  Alan Harrison (Royal Eastbourne),  Matthew Stock (Surrey National), Craig Sutherland  (Cherry Lodge) and Simon Walker  (Oxford Golf Centre).