Gareth ready to show the Wright stuff in Glenmuir final

Gareth Wright will bid to defend his Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship title and cement his place in the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team later this month.

The Welsh-born Scottish player from Weston Linton won the event at Carden Park last year and will be looking to retain the trophy at De Vere Slaley Hall from June 11-14.

The £78,000 final, which is supported by Peugeot, will also determine the make-up of Russell Weir’s PGA Cup team to face the United States at Slaley Hall in September – a target high on the priority list of Wright.

“I won the Glenmuir, then won with Scotland in the PGAs of Europe International Team Championship and I was fourth in the end of season PGA Play-Offs in Turkey so whatever happens at Slaley Hall I’d like to think I’ve done enough to get picked for the PGA Cup team,” he said.

“I’d be disappointed if I wasn’t but to make sure, I’d like to collect at least one more point from the final.”

The PGA Cup is decided over a two year qualification process with double points in the year the biennial contest is staged.

Wright delayed going to European Tour qualifying school last year in a bid to realise his PGA Cup ambitions.

The 31-year-old was one of 10 PGA Professionals in action in the recent BMW PGA Championship and despite not making the cut has been happy with his form to date.

“I can’t complain too much about missing the cut at Wentworth but I’ve been playing well in other events so far this year.”

His PGA Cup ambitions aside, the big-hitting Wright admits he is relishing coming back to the event and defending his crown in the 156-strong field.

“I’m very excited about it. It’s a new venue for the final and it’s always nice to go and play at somewhere like that.

“I think Slaley Hall is the sort of place that suits my eye. It’s a nice long course plus it’ll be great preparation to play the same course that is being used for the PGA Cup.”

Other Scottish PGA pros taking part include Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range), Scott Catlin (Greenburn Golf Club), Craig Everett (Caldwell Golf Club), David Fleming  (Prestwick Golf Club) and David Orr (Mearns Castle Golf Academy).