Hutcheon aims for one last hurrah

Tartan Tour No.1 Greig Hutcheon is gearing up for a final push to end the season in style by lifting the Titleist PGA Play-Offs crown in Turkey from November 23 - 25.

The Banchory pro and fellow Scots Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) and Chris Kelly (Cawder) go up against the cream of UK pros in the £15,000 tournament at Antalya Golf Club’s PGA Sultan course where the top 10 finishers will qualify for the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship.

Hutcheon, who earned his dose of winter sunshine by virtue of winning the Scottish Order of Merit, has been in good form all year with a series of impressive displays including selection for the Great Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team, making the cut at Wentworth and winning the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship.

It will earmark him as one of the favourites alongside PGA Cup team-mate Richard Wallis from Kent who will be seeking a hat-trick of play-offs wins in Turkey.

“I’ve certainly been playing quite tidily and I feel I have a good chance having finished tied third in the event last year although I have struggled on the greens at Antalya which are quite sticky with a little bit of grain making them not easy to read,” said Hutcheon who lifted the play-offs title in 2010.

“This will probably be my last action of the year, as I’ll pack my clubs away for December and January but I’ve been putting in some practice for this and it’s great to be involved in such a big tournament.

“Bringing the leading players from the regions together for the play-offs is a fantastic way to end the season.”

Hutcheon has more than 100 Tour starts to his name including three Challenge Tour victories and despite passing 40 years of age believes he is playing nearly as well as ever and feels he could still compete at the highest level.

“I think the top guys are too good for me to be able to win on Tour but I still think in these big events there is no reason why I can’t get a top 10,” he added.

Titleist brand director, Matthew Johnson, commented: “Titleist strives to support golf in all aspects of the game and our partnership with The PGA and the PGA Play-Offs offers a fantastic platform to strengthen our ties with all PGA Professionals.

"We take great pride in validating the #1 ball in golf, used by the best players in the world from touring professionals through to PGA Professionals and elite amateurs.

“The PGA Play-Offs is a unique event in bringing the leading PGA pros together to compete for an opportunity to tee up at some of the European Tour’s biggest events including the flagship BMW PGA Championship and we look forward to seeing an exciting conclusion to the season."