Scott Henderson will keep “chiselling away” as he looks to etch his name onto the Ramsdens Currency Scottish PGA Championship trophy for the first time in his long professional career.
The Aberdeen veteran, who was runner-up in the domestic showpiece back in 2003, underlined his intent with a second round six-under 65 which hoisted him to the top on a 12-under aggregate.
That gave the 55-year-old a slender, one-stroke halfway lead over the 2019 champion, Paul O’Hara.
“Being in the mix is where you want to be,” said Henderson as he revelled in the cut-and-thrust at the sharp end of affairs. “I’ve played in plenty of these down the years and, although I’ve not won it before, I’m not feeling any added pressure.
“If I can get a bit more comfortable with my swing, I’d feel happier. But saying that, I’ve hit it better and scored worse in the past. Golf is funny like that. You can only dance with what you bring to the ball.
“I can’t complain so I just need to keep chiselling away.”
While there are still two rounds of the main event to go, Henderson has already won the Senior Scottish PGA Championship which is held over the opening 36-holes.
“It’s always nice to win something, although this one reminds me that I’m getting old,” he added with a chuckle.
Former champion O’Hara, who also has four second place finishes in the Scottish PGA Championship, kept clinging to Henderson’s coattails with a 65 of his own which left him lurking ominously.
“I remembered the scoring here a couple of years ago was quite low so I got it in my head that I’d need to be 19 or 20-under to win this,” said O’Hara. “I just need to keep moving forward and put myself into position for the final day.”
Stephen Gray continued to plot his way up the leaderboard as the Easter Moffat 51-year-old added a three-under 68 to his opening 65 to sit in third on 10-under.
Gray, a loyal servant of the Tartan Tour for almost three decades, has never finished higher than seventh in the Scottish PGA Championship but a composed, considered approach at Scotscraig has kept him on course for a title he desperately craves.
“It’s the kind of course you need to plot your way round so it suits me,” said the former Tartan Tour No 1, who has made just one bogey in 36-holes.
“I’ve never been in this position before in this championship. Over the years, I think I’ve got myself too worked up about this event and put too much pressure on myself instead of just going out and playing. It’s our biggest championship, it’s the one we all want to win.”
Jordan Sundborg tucked himself into fourth on nine-under after a 67 while Fraser Mann struck another blow for the golden oldies as the 65-year-old moved into the top-10 on six-under.
Mann, who won a senior event in Cumbria last week by a whopping nine shots, landed the Scottish PGA Championship back in 2002 during a glory-laden season which also saw him win the Northern Open.
Mann’s competitive gusto endures. “It’s nice to show that I can still play 23 years later,” he smiled. “I actually shot a 64 last week but was penalised four shots for having two extra clubs in my bag. I still won by nine so that shows how well I’m playing.
“I’ve got arthritis in one of my fingers, I have a bad back and when I hit the ball I get a twinge, but I don’t care. I just love competing.”
Stuart Easton, who set the first round pace with a 63, had to settle for a level-par 71 and sits on eight-under while Northern Open champion Craig Lee, who has been a runner-up five times in the Scottish PGA Championship, eased into the top-10 on five-under with a 67.
To follow the live scoring from Scotscraig, click here.
You might also like
Scottish PGA Championship
Defending champ Robertson leads Scottish PGA by four heading into final round
Graeme Robertson fortified his position at the top of the leaderboard and stayed on course for back-to-back wins in the Loch Lomond Whiskies’ Scottish PGA Championship. With a gusting wind adding plenty of…
