Hutcheon looking for final flourish

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MAN ON A MISSION: Greig Hutcheon says he has nothing to lose this week.

PETERCULTER’S Greig Hutcheon is building himself up for a rousing late charge in the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final which was starting today on Italy’s Adriatic coast.

Fellow Aberdonian pro Richie Ramsay goes into the event safe in the know- ledge that he has already secured his spot on next year’s European Tour.

But Hutcheon was teeing up needing one of his best results of the season if he is to force his way into a top 20 Order of Merit place on the Challenge Tour that would gain promotion to the main circuit.

Hutcheon, who has racked up five top 10 finishes during the campaign, currently sits in 33rd place on the rankings but with a bumper prize fund of almost £220,000 up for grabs this week, the former Scottish PGA No1 is going for a grandstand finish.

He said: “In the position I’m in, there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“I’ve been looking closely at the Order of Merit and I’d say I need to finish third to have a chance of making the top 20.

“Because I didn’t have a category at the start of the year, I had to play in pretty much everything I could and that did not help my scheduling.

“I’ve probably paid the price for that lack of structure but I’ve enjoyed it and hopefully I can finish on a high.”

As Hutcheon prepares for his final event assault, Ramsay heads into the 72-hole contest sitting comfortably in seventh spot.

The former US Amateur champion’s triumphs in the Vodafone Challenge in Germany and the AGF- Allianz Open in France have helped seal his spot on the main tour but he will be eager to finish as high as possible on the Challenge Tour order of merit.

Motherwell’s Steven O’Hara is also set to return to the main stage having moved into eighth place on the rankings.

Scots duo Andrew McArthur (23rd) and David Drysdale (32nd) both need a big week.