New PGA Cup carrot for Scots

THE door has been opened for Scotland’s leading home-based professionals to qualify for the PGA Cup, the club pros’ equivalent of the Ryder Cup.

It follows a change in the selection process for the Great Britain and Ireland team, which is designed to provide the strongest possible side to face the Americans.

For the next contest in the biennial encounter – to be held at Slaley Hall in Northumberland in 2013 – the GB&I team will consist of the leading six point scorers over two years at the Glenmuir PGA Championship, the top three at this year’s Titleist PGA Play-Offs and a captain’s wild-card pick.

Previously, the side was determined solely by the Glenmuir event across two years but, under the new format, Banchory’s Greig Hutcheon, who won the 2010 Play-Offs, would have made the team for last year’s match in California.

“It is important to ensure we have our best players available and the advent of the PGA Play-Offs in recent years gives us a second gateway to qualification and achieving that aim,” said PGA chief executive Sandy Jones.

“The captain’s pick was used in previous matches and gives the captain the chance to include a player of his choice who he feels can add value to those who have already earned qualification.”