COLIN FARQUHARSON Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles By his own admission, Graeme McInnes has somewhat lost his way as a golfer in the 10 years since he decided he could make a living as a tour professional.
Yet at the end of yesterday's first round of the Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship, it was the 34-year-old Aberdonian who occupied pole position on the leaderboard with a four-under-par 69.
Graeme's close friend Craig Lee shot a 71 for joint third-place, while Paul McKechnie (Hayston), leader of the Tartan Tour money table and Order of Merit this season, shot a 70 for second place overnight.
Only those who drove it straight and kept out of the penal rough close to the edge of the fairways had a chance of getting round the Jack Nicklaus-designed "mini monster" that is the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles. A blustery wind blowing across most of the fairways made it a real test of skill.
"It's long and it's tough but the Centenary Course is possibly my favourite inland course in Scotland," said Graeme.
And yet he was three over par after six holes with bogeys at the first, third and sixth. Birdies at the seventh and ninth steadied him, however, and he birdied three in a row from the 10th and finished on a high with putts of 25 and 10 feet dropping for birdies at the 17th and 18th.
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