Hickory no handicap as 34 line up for World Open

Published on Wednesday 23 September 2009 22:43

EAST Lothian has been awash with golfers swinging hickory clubs this week and, following warm-up events at Musselburgh Old Links and Craigielaw, they have now descended on Gullane, which is staging the PGA World Hickory Open over the next two days.

The event boasts a prize fund of 12,500 and a 34-strong field includes former PGA champion Andrew Oldcorn, Perry Somers from Australia, Swede Klas Ohlsson and Heather MacRae, the Gullane trainee professional.

Carnoustie's Lindsay Mann, the winner when Craigielaw staged the event last year, is back to defend his title but Robert Arnott, a leading Tartan Tour professional attached to the Bishopbriggs Golf Range, could be the man to beat. On Sunday he shot a 71 using a set of hickory clubs at a breezy Musselburgh Old to win the Strokeplay Challenge, an event supported by East Lothian Council and Homecoming Scotland.

"As far as anyone can ascertain, this was the first professional competition held there since Harry Vardon won the last Musselburgh Open in 1906," said Lionel Freedman, tournament chairman of the PGA World Hickory Open.

The Musselburgh course was also the venue for a Ryder Cup-style match on Monday, the success of which was summed up by Somers. He said afterwards that it was the best day's golf in his 45 years as a player.