Downfield pro Kenny Hutton won the biggest title of his career in his first sojourn into the Seniors game with a dramatic one-stroke victory in the Senior PGA Professional Championship at Foxhills Resort in Surrey.
Hutton, who moved from club pro duties to an advisory role at the Dundee club last year when he became captain of the Scottish PGA, produced a classic finish to snatch the Bernard Hunt Memorial Trophy from fellow Scott Albert McKenzie.
Trailing McKenzie coming down the stretch, Hutton holed a clutch putt for birdie, chipped in for another birdie at the 17th, and then splashed a 75-foot bunker shot to two and a half feet at the last to get into the clubhouse at two-under.
In contrast McKenzie, the pro at Saunton in Devon, bogeyed three of the last four holes and missed a five foot putt for par to hand the £5,250 to Hutton, who had left the 18th green half an hour earlier thinking his best hope was a play-off.
“I don’t think I’ve played three better closing holes in my life including definitely the bunker shot of my career when you consider what was at stake,” said Hutton.
“For me this is massive. I’ve done OK in Scotland through the years but I’ve never won an order of merit on the Tartan Tour.
“To win something as huge as this, this is the pinnacle for club pros over 50.”
Hutton now has an opportunity to play on more events on the European Tour’s Seniors circuit, with a place in the £235,000 ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship next month at Stoke by Nayland the first event of the season.
“Hopefully it could be a springboard and build my confidence,” he said. “Half my problem has been people say I should be doing better and I’m probably the only one who doesn’t believe it. Something like this might just kick me off.”
McKenzie felt it was a title that got away but was full of praise for Hutton.
“I’m a great friend of Kenny’s and, as disappointed as I am not to win, I think his bunker shot to get up and down at 18 is the sign of a worthy champion so I congratulate him,” he said.