Hutton set for PGA seniors test

Kenny Hutton is relishing the chance of taking on some of golf’s biggest names at the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at Stoke by Nayland from June 5-8.

The Downfield-based pro goes into the £235,000 tournament buoyed by his magnificent victory in the Senior PGA Professional Championship at Foxhills Resort in Surrey two weeks ago.

And the Scottish PGA captain believes that victory has given him a timely confidence boost as he goes head to head with a host of Ryder Cup stars including Sam Torrance, Des Smyth and Mark James.

“I went to European Senior Tour qualifying school last and while I got to the last day, I never really threatened,” he said.

“The last month however, I’ve been starting to feel a bit more relaxed and haven’t been putting so much pressure on myself.

“I’m looking forward to competing against all the guys at Stoke by Nayland. I was never in a position to have a go at tour school or anything like that as I went down the club pro route. But I’ve always had my eye on the seniors and I feel my game has matured well over the years.

“The win at Foxhills was massive and I feel I can compete if I bring my A-game.”

Among the first people to congratulate Hutton was former PGA Seniors champion DJ Russell while fellow Scots Fraser Mann, Albert MacKenzie from Devon club Saunton and Kevin Phillips (Winterfield) are also in the field having qualified through a top 20 finish at Foxhills.

It will be a case of ‘friends reunited’ for Mann, who is a teaching pro at Open Championship venue Carnoustie. The 54 year old is a PGA Cup team-mate of defending champion Paul Wesselingh with the pair part of the historic Great Britain & Ireland team that triumphed against the United States in 2005 to end a 21 year winless streak.

Andrew Oldcorn, who won the PGA Seniors title by nine shots in 2011 is also in action while Wesselingh, the reigning European Senior Tour No.1, is seeking a third straight triumph in the event which returns to Stoke by Nayland for a third time having previously hosted it in 2006 and 2007 when Sam Torrance and Carl Mason won respectively.

Previous champions include Open Championship winners Max Faulkner, Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson, while Christy O'Connor lifted the PGA Seniors title no less than six times.