The 2017 Tartan Tour schedule is set for a big finish at the end of another exciting campaign for PGA in Scotland members.
For the second year in a row, the circuit’s flagship event, the M&H Logistics Scottish PGA Championship, will bring the curtain down when it takes place at Gleneagles on October 16-19.
Won last year in its 100th staging by West Linton’s Gareth Wright, the tournament carries an increased prize fund and will be staged once again on the King’s Course at the Perthshire venue.
It comes exactly a month after another of the circuit’s Order of Merit events, the P&H Championship, which is taking place for the third year running at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian.
Held earlier in the season on that occasion, Paul O’Hara won last year’s event, beating his then Clydeway Golf counterpart, Graham Fox, in a sudden-death play-off.
In between those two Order of Merit tournaments is another of the Tartan Tour’s biggest events – the Highland Golf Links Pro-Am.
Heading back to three of the country’s leading courses – Castle Stuart, Nairn and Royal Dornoch – once again, it takes place on October 2-4.
The opening 2017 Order of Merit event is the Northern Open, which is being held at Moray Golf Club on June 6-8.
Greig Hutcheon, who claimed the title for a second time at Royal Dornoch last season, will be the defending champion in the event’s first visit to the Lossiemouth venue since 1991.
Also counting in the Order of Merit title race again will be the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open qualifier.
Offering five spots in the event’s first visit to Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, it will take place on July 8-9, with the venue set to be announced in due course.
The first two stagings of this tournament have proved a huge success at North Berwick and Moray, where Jack Doherty led the qualifiers last summer.
As has become the norm, August sees two Order of Merit events – the Deer Park Masters Pro-Am in Livingston on 1-2 then the Kerr Investments Pro-Am at Dumfries & Galloway on 26-27.
Other notable events on the fixture list include the second staging of the Gleneagles International Pro-Am on July 26-28 and the Carnegie Invitational at Skibo Castle on September 13-14.
The schedule also contains around 30 one-day pro-ams, including a visit to Trump Turnberry for an event in aid of Ayrshire Hospice, the return of the Grampian Houston event at Royal Aberdeen and a new event at Williamwood in Glasgow.
For the eighth season in a row, the Scottish Young Professionals’ Championship will be played at West Lothian on June 27-29, while a seniors’ series, including a Scottish Senior Championship, has also been scheduled.
PGA in Scotland secretary Shona Malcolm said: “The Tartan Tour continues to provide high quality playing opportunities for PGA members, and, while the economic situation remains challenging in certain quarters, a number of new events have been included this year.
“A significant amount of work is currently going into developing new and varied events, with some exciting ventures already in the planning for 2018.”
2017 Order of Merit events
June 6-8 Northern Open, Moray
July 8-9 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open Qualifier, TBC
Aug 1-2 Deer Park Masters
Aug 26-27 Kerr Investments Pro-Am, Dumfries & Galloway
Sept 18-20 P&H Championship, The Renaissance
Oct 16-19 M&H Logistics Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship, King’s Course
Other main events
June 27-29 Scottish Young Professionals’ Championship, West Lothian
July 25-28 Gleneagles International Pro-Am
Oct 2-4 Highland Golf Links Pro-Am, Nairn, Royal Dornoch & Castle Stuart
PGA www.pga.info