Recently-reinstated amateur Chris Kelly will face strong competition in this weekend’s prestigious Battle Trophy at Crail GS (April 22-23).
The 24th hosting on the acclaimed Craighead Links course also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Gil Hanse-designed layout’s opening.
Craighead Links was his first solo golf course design project and since then he has overseen many other famed developments, including Castle Stuart in northern Scotland and the 2016 Rio Olympic Games host course in Brazil.
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Scotscraig-attached Kelly is a past triple-winning Scottish PGA champion, capturing the Tartan Tour flagship event in 2003, 2015 and 2017.
However the 45-year-old chose to return to the amateur ranks and, after a six-month process, was afforded the required R&A approval earlier this year.
“It was great to see Chris’ name when the entries began to arrive for the Battle Trophy”, said David Roy, Manager of Crail Golfing Society.
“To win three Scottish PGA titles was a great accomplishment while Scottish golf fans will be aware he also played a number of European Tour and Challenge Tour events.
“So, it will be great to welcome Chris from our sister club, Scotscraig and to wish him well in this special Craighead Links hosting of the Battle Trophy”.
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The Battle Trophy is the second Scottish Order of Merit event after the Craigmillar Park Open and, while it will be exciting to see how Kelly performs on Craighead Links, this year’s tournament will be without defending champion Matthew Wilson. He, along with ultra-talented Crail member Connor Graham, are both are competing for Scotland in the European Nations Championship that ends tomorrow at Sotogrande in Spain.
In Graham’s absence, golf’s seventh oldest club will be proudly represented by the Crail foursome of Andrew Davidson, Fraser Carr, Alistair Scott and Scott MacPherson.
Former Battle Trophy champions include past and present DP World Tour players George Murray (2005, 2006), Daniel Young (2015), Grant Forrest (2016) and Connor Syme (2017).