Hutch on the mark at Wentworth

Experience proved invaluable for Greig Hutcheon as he tangled with Wentworth’s testing West Course to secure his place in the final two rounds of the BMW PGA Championship.

The Inchmarlo pro has made it to the latter stages of the European Tour’s flagship event on two previous occasions, in 2013 and 2011, and will now look to build on a promising opening two rounds this time.

In truth it could have been so much better. Hutcheon had flirted with the top 20 on a number of occasions throughout the preceding 36 holes before finishing on level par alongside defending champion Byeong-Hun An and three-time European Tour winner Andy Sullivan.

The man himself, who enjoyed the earlier tee time after a late finish on day one, described the course as “exacting” as he reflected on a topsy-turvy second round that featured an eagle at the fourth hole and a double bogey at the 13^th. 

“It was a rollercoaster,” he explained. “If you’re slightly off, it becomes really difficult to make par – it doesn’t even have to be a particularly bad shot.

“Coming down the last, that’s when the experience helps. You’re aware that you don’t want to try anything too fancy.

“I’m delighted that I’ve done enough to make the cut – I’ve got two more chances to shoot a round in the 60s now.

“I said to my caddie before we came out that I felt I could shoot a couple of rounds in the 60s – now I’ve only got two days left to do it twice!”

Before signing for his second day round of one-over, Hutcheon navigated a tricky back nine which had left many of the field floundering.

Not least two time PGA Assistants’ champion Guy Woodman. Having posted a score of three-under on day one to finish a shot adrift of Luke Donald, his pre-tournament practice partner, his good work was sabotaged by four bogeys after the turn and he missed the cut by one stroke.

Ireland’s Colm Moriarty suffered similarly. Despite negotiating the second round in two-under his first round of four-over proved too much of a mountain to climb.

By contrast, Matt Ford will be in jubilant mood as he enters the weekend alongside Hutcheon on level-par. 

The former PGA Play-Offs competitor has had a tough start to the year since retaining his European Tour card but putted out with a smile on his face after admitting at the end of his first round that he is aiming to enjoy his golf again over the course of the summer.

Masters champion Danny Willett, meanwhile, lived up to his billing as the star of the show as he shot a record 29 over the first nine holes to take the joint lead on 10-under alongside Scott Hend and Y.E. Yang.