George Murray makes bid for Gleneagles Championship

GEORGE Murray, one 24 Scots in the field, was playing for fun the last time he teed it up in the Johnnie Walker Championship, but this time it's for real.

The Fifer, who secured a spot six years ago after winning the Scottish Amateur, has earned an invite for the Gleneagles event this time around on the back of his Scottish Challenge success at Macdonald Spey Valley earlier in the season.

Lying fifth on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit, he's on course to be playing full time in events like this next season and is aiming to make the most of his opportunity in Perthshire.

"I've got nothing to worry about - I'm just trying to make some money," said Murray, who joined Richie Ramsay, a former Eisenhower Trophy team-mate from their amateur days, for one of his practice rounds on the PGA Centenary Course.

James White, a former Scottish Boys' champion, and Kris Nicol have received the amateur spots on offer in this year's field, which also includes a Tartan Tour contingent comprising of Craig Lee, David Orr, Fraser Mann, Stephen Gray, Colin Gillies, Mark Kerr, Andrew Oldcorn and Jason McCreadie.

Unfortunately, they'll not be joined on the PGA Centenary Course today by David Drysdale, who has been forced to pull out of the event due to a back injury.

His manager, Iain Stoddart, said: "David felt the injury on Tuesday morning and immediately contacted the tournament director to alert him to the possibility that he might withdraw.

"The timing couldn't be worse."