Result- Princes Pot Round 2. PGA. Sat 3rd May.
It was a bright but breezy day for the second round of the Princes Pot on the PGA. After a week of tropical heat, the temperature had dropped, and the wind was gusting with enough enthusiasm to make even the hardiest golfer question their club selection. Young whippersnapper Mr. Andy McGill launched his drive off the first, no doubt hoping to replicate his UAE heroics. Sadly, he found himself playing his second shot from a divot in the rough—a hazard he certainly didn’t face in Dubai! Welcome back to Scottish golf, Andy.
With Mr. Sandy Grant teeing off fashionably late, the rest of the field seized their chance to stake a claim for the Pot. Young McGill fought bravely but couldn’t quite master the greens, managing 31 points to add to his 36 from round one. Dr. Jonny Dickson was out of the blocks fast, posting 35 points for a two-round total of 70. However, young Mr. Crawford Gray, scoring better than his age (and giving hope to hackers everywhere), leapt to the top of the leaderboard with a dazzling 42 points, bringing his total to 76. Congratulations to Mr. Gray for winning the second round of the Pot—a true inspiration to us all that age is just a number, and proof that even mere mortals can break 40 points!
Meanwhile, as everyone frantically refreshed the app to see how Mr. Grant was faring, the flamboyant and colourful Mr. Douglas Laing made a late charge with a sparkling 40 points, finishing just one shy of the summit with a combined 75. So close, Douglas. Better luck next time, Sir.
And then, the moment we’d all been waiting for with bated breath: Mr. Grant returned a score of 38 points, giving him a grand total of 78. Heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Grant for conquering the PGA on two separate occasions. Well played, Sir!
The Top 10 Combined Scores:
Sandy Grant 40/38 – 78
Crawford Gray 34/42 – 76
Douglas Laing 35/40 – 75
Alan Penman 33/39 – 72
David Mitchell 33/38 – 71
Jonny Dickson 35/35 – 70
Colin Campbell 31/37 – 68
Alistair Shand 34/33 – 67
Andy McGill 36/31 – 67Mark Nicolson 36/30 – 66
Ken Marshall 31/33 – 64
In Other News:
It was a welcome return for Mike Collier, who had the misfortune of being paired with yours truly and Mr. Billy Z McNeill. Apologies for the sore ears, Mike—next time, bring earplugs!
As you’ll see in the photo below, our resident foodie Mr. Adam Lovelock was particularly taken with the chicken tacos at the Cuban-inspired A70 bar. Mr. Colin Campbell can be spotted in the background, asking ChatGPT where tacos were invented.
Also pictured: a past Open Champion, who had the pleasure (or perhaps the surprise) of meeting our very own Mr. Paul Lewis. Mr. Lewis was, of course, explaining that the Princes Pot is played over two rounds, not four like the Open—because who has the stamina for that?
Coming Up:
Next on the calendar is the Peter Miller Trophy—the legendary 5-club challenge over the Queen’s course on Wednesday, 7th May. Entry is via the app, once you’ve picked your tee time and, presumably, your five luckiest clubs.
Next week, we return to the PGA for a stroke play competition. Can Mr. Grant continue his fine form? Will Mr. Wadsworth add to his tally of wins? Or will a new champion emerge from the pack?
Don’t forget to play your match play ties and let Iain or me know the result.
TAZ