Sam Locke tees up exciting opportunity after latest Tartan Pro Tour triumph
Two players now on brink of securing automatic promotion to HotelPlanner Tour
Sam Locke is on the brink of securing automatic promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour after finishing with a flourish to land his latest Tartan Pro Tour title triumph.
The 2018 Open Silver Medal winner signed off with three straight birdies to win the Blairgowrie Perthshire Masters presented by The R&A on the Lansdowne Course.
It was Locke’s second victory of the season on the circuit and, like Michael Stewart, he now needs one more to earn an automatic step up to the HotelPlanner Tour.
“It’s something that I feel if I keep doing what I am doing, I am going to give myself another chance to get another win at some stage,” admitted Locke, who also won the Scottish Par 3 Championship presented by Paul Lawrie Golf Centre earlier in the year.
“Yeah, it is exciting, to be honest. I just need to keep working hard. Keep doing the basics and focusing on what I have been doing. I believe I’ll have another chance and, hopefully, it’s sooner rather than later. So I am really looking forward to what the rest of the season holds.”
Locke, who has recorded at least one victory every season on the circuit, opened with a 67 in this latest tournament before adding a 70 to sit one shot off the lead, held by Pole Nikolas Tyminski.
Boosted by a birdie at the first, Locke produced an eye-catching last-day performance, which also included gains at the fifth, sixth, ninth and 11th before that burst to finish.
Closing with a 64 for a 15-under-par total, he won by a shot from Robbie Morrison, who also signed for a last-round 64. Jack McDonald finished third on 11 under as a closing 73 left Tyminski having to settle for a tie for 11th.
“I’m absolutely delighted to win again,” admitted Locke. “I played really well, to be honest, the last few days. I think the first day I probably played the best tee to green that I have for a while. I just didn’t hole that many putts, but I hit it really good.
“Then today I played pretty solid as well and managed to get a few more putts to go in. Yeah, I couldn’t be more happy, to be honest.
“To finish with three birdies in a row when I needed to do it was quite pleasing as well. I think holed from four feet on 16, just over 20 feet on 17 and then from about 12 feet at the last.
“To hit a few good shots down the stretch and hole the putts as well, I was really happy with myself about that.”
Locke is now up to third in Order of Merit behind new leader John Vogelpohl and Stewart. The top two at the end of the season secure 2027 HotelPlanner Tour cards.
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