Robertson takes two-shot lead into final day of Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA Championship

31/08/2023

Graeme Robertson produced a grandstand finish at Scotscraig to propel himself to the top of the leaderboard during round three of the Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA Championship.

The 35-year-old, who is attached to the Forthview Golf Range, birdied his last three holes in a six-under 65 for a 12-under aggregate and a two-shot advantage over Chris Currie and halfway leader Craig Lee.

Robertson, who qualified for July’s Open at Hoylake, had been lurking behind Lee for most of the day until he moved up the gears on the run-in with a significant thrust.

A birdie on the 14^th sparked his burst for the line before putts of 20-feet on the 17^th and 25-feet on the 18^th saw him finish with a flourish.

💪 @GRobertsonGolf posted a score of six-under-par earlier today to take the lead in the 2023 Scottish PGA Championship.

⛳️ Robertson holds a two-shot lead over @ChrisCurrieGolf and @CRAIGLEE337

Day 3 leaderboard
➡️ https://t.co/3dRK3bxKnj @PGAScotland | @LochLomondMalts pic.twitter.com/gIXAfKUHPQ
— The PGA (@ThePGA) August 31, 2023

Robertson already has a Scottish Assistants’ title on his cv and now has one hand on the national championship trophy which boasts such decorated names as John Panton, Brian Barnes, Bernard Gallacher, Sandy Lyle, Sam Torrance and Paul Lawrie.

“This would be a great one to win,” said Robertson, who finished fourth on his debut in the Scottish PGA Championship at West Kilbride last year.

“I wasn’t at my best in round two but managed to sneak an under-par round to keep myself in it. This was much better and a nice reward for hanging in the previous day. I’ve been in the last groups of tournaments a few times now so it’s familiar territory. These are the positions you want to be in.”

Currie (pictured), who was a runner-up in the national championship back in 2011, mounted a fine third round assault and roared into a share of second place with a seven-under 64 for 10-under.

The 41-year-old from Clydebank, who works full-time as a sales rep for Wilson Golf, put his lack of preparation behind him with a sizzling card which featured a chip-in eagle from 30-feet on the 16^th.

“I don’t get time to do much practice these days and I almost play from memory,” said Currie, who won the weather-disrupted Deer Park Masters on the Tartan Tour’s Order of Merit at the start of August.

“I hit it really close today but the eagle on 16 was a real Brucie bonus and it’s a great time in a tournament to produce a round like this. It gets me in the conversation.”

Lee (pictured), who held a two-stroke lead after two rounds, had increased that advantage to three in the early stages of his third round.

But his putter, such a lethal weapon during his second-round offensive, went cold and a one-under 70 saw him slither off the summit.

“It was a horrendous day with the putter,” said Lee, who has finished runner-up four times in the Scottish PGA Championship. “It’s probably the worst I’ve putted in a long time. I think I had 36 putts today which is no good. You can’t be having that many putts in a tournament and expect to compete.

“I’ll either bend this one, build a new one or see if I can find one that works. I’ve still plenty to play for.”

Host club pro Jordan Brown had been making a late push with three birdies on the spin from the 15^th but his round unravelled on the last when he racked up a damaging double-bogey six in a one-over 72. That left him in a share of fourth with Paul McKechnie on a six-under tally.

Paul O’Hara, the 2019 Scottish PGA champion and last year’s runner-up, shares sixth on five-under with defending champion Alastair Forsyth a stroke back on four-under.