Trio eye glory at Gleneagles

A trio of Scottish clubs will be looking to make home advantage count when they take to the fairways of Gleneagles for the Lombard Trophy final.

Teams from Crow Wood, Ranfurly and Paisley will take the PGA Centenary Course, host of last year’s Ryder Cup, for the final of Europe’s largest pro-am on September 1-2.

More than 800 teams entered the event this year with just 16 taking their place in the grand final at the Auchterarder venue.

Among them will be Paisley PGA Professional Andrew Carlton and amateur David Walker, who is celebrating a 38-year association with the club by representing them in this event.

Walker, an operations manager for a computer company has experienced Gleneagles before.

“I think it was in 1992 when I caddied for Dean Robertson at the Scottish open there and I played at Gleneagles for my 40th birthday, but this will be a very special event,” he said after the regional final at Pollok.

Crow Wood, meanwhile, will be represented by panel beater Craig Taylor and their PGA Professional Ian Graham.

The Glasgow duo didn’t drop a single shot in the regional final at Crieff and go into the showpiece full of confidence that they can go all the way.

“We gelled well,” said Graham.

“Craig went round in level-par and made three birdies himself so it was a good performance.

‘We’re certainly looking forward to playing in the final now.”

Ranfurly Golf Club, represented by PGA Professional Tom Eckford and amateur David Stewart will be bidding to stop them though, after a smash and grab raid south of the border at Formby Golf Club.

Stewart hit a hole-in-one during a previous visit to prestigious Gleneagles.

“I got a hole in one at the Queens Course at Gleneagles - it meant an expensive round of drinks but I’m looking forward to going back now,” said the Houston-based retail operations manager.