His position on the leaderboard is a lot healthier than the man himself. “I was feeling hot, then cold, I had the sweats and I lost a bit of feeling in my arms,” reported Gareth Wright. The golf writers could sympathise. That’s how we often feel when faced with the rarity of a par putt during our autumn outing.
Here amid the enchanting splendour of the Gleneagles resort, the M&H Logistics Scottish PGA Championship over the King’s Course continued to build to an intriguing finale. Wright, who was hardly in the best of fettle with flu-like symptoms, kept himself at the head of the standings but, for the first time this week, he has someone lurking alongside him.
While Wright, the national champion in 2014, cemented his place at the top with a three-under 68 for a 13-under aggregate of 200, it was Paul O’Hara who made the most significant move of a pleasant Perthshire day as he hauled himself into a share of the lead with a sprightly 66.
The 30-year-old could have even got his nose in front at the death. A fine approach to the par-5 18th plonked itself down some seven-feet from the hole but his eagle putt didn’t have enough borrow on it.
All in all, though, it was a good day at this most tranquil of offices. O’Hara, who was runner-up three-times in the Scottish Amateur Championship, now has a chance to capture the national professional title. Having failed to gain a solid foothold on the various European circuits, O’Hara has been galvanised since opting to go down the PGA training route and the cut-and-thrust of competition on the domestic scene continues to stand him in good stead. “I’m a much better player now than I was when I was turning pro,” said the Lanarkshire lad. “My putting, my driving, my iron play, my confidence; everything has improved.”
Wright had threatened to run away with the bounty having opened up a five shot lead during round one with a sparkling 62 but 72-hole titles are never decided on the first day. “Yes, it was a low score but all you are trying to do on the first day is give yourself a chance of being up there on the final day,” conceded Wright. “I’ve been steady since then and I’m still in that position to win.”
Having picked up some form of bug, Wright did well to nurse himself round although he did get a bit ragged after the turn with a brace of three-putt bogeys at 11 and 13. A late rally put some colour back in his cheeks, though, and birdies at 16 and 18 kept him at the summit.
Wright’s playing partner Louis Gaughan managed to cling to the coat tails of the leaders with a 68 which left him two strokes back on 202. One-over at the turn, the 23-year-old Bathgate assistant picked up shots at 10, 12, 17 and 18 to give himself plenty to play for on the last day. “I just need to be a bit more positive and aggressive and go out there with no doubts,” he said.
Renfrewshire’s Sam Binning sits in fourth on 204 after a 68 while plaudits went to Robert Arnott, one of the older swingers in town, who put the aches, pains and hirplings of the advancing years behind him with a super 64 as he vaulted up into the fringes of the top-10. “It’s the hips and the back and I’m popping pills like you’ll never know,” said the 53-year-old with a satisfied grimace.
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