Winter work pays off for Craig at Blairgowrie

Craig Ronald will be hoping the weather forecast is on his side this year after winning the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship Scottish qualifying event at Blairgowrie Golf Club.

The Carluke Golf Club professional was in line to qualify for the PGA Cup squad to face the USA in 2009.

But the former European Tour player fell victim to stormy conditions and failed to make it.

Now he has set his sights on another crack at the event which will be held in California this September.

Ronald took the first step by topping the leaderboard at Blairgowrie by three shots after recording a four-under-par round of 68.

He beat Alan Stuart (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) into second place.

They will join eight other qualifiers at the £91,500 grand final which will be held at Burnham and Berrow Golf Club in Somerset on June 2-5.

Ronald, who has won over 80 events as a professional, said he had been working on his game during the winter and wants to play the European Seniors Tour in 2020.

“I’d made a couple of adjustments to my swing during the winter, I wanted to have a good year,” said the 44-year-old.

“So far the work’s paying off and I’m looking forward to going to Burnham which I hear is a fantastic venue.

“I hope it suits my game as I like playing links courses.

“I haven’t entered this event for a few years due to injuries but one of the reasons I wanted to play was because of the PGA Cup.

“I was close to getting into the squad when the grand final was played at Dundonald.

“But it was terrible weather for the final round and I just got blown away. I fell short so I’d like to try again.”

Ronald eased home at Blairgowrie after a mixed back nine which include an eagle, two birdies and two bogeys at the Perth and Kinross venue.

Now the Lanarkshire player hopes to keep his form going at Gleneagles where he won the Scottish Professional Golf Championship in 2004.

“It was a good way to prepare for the Scottish Championship this weekend, it wasn’t great but I played okay,” said Ronald.