HEATHER ON TRACK FOR PGA FOUR-BALL HISTORY

FROM THE PGA E-BULLETIN
Heather MacRae, a professional at the PGA National Golf Academy, Gleneagles Hotel, is on course to become the first female to win the Skins PGA Fourball Championship.

 The 28-year-old, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency at Gleneagles Kings, and Cawder Golf Club’s Chris Kelly posted a seven-under-par round of 64 in the qualifying event at Musselburgh Golf Club to finish level with host duo Norman Huguet and Andrew Munro.
Both pairs will be joined in the October’s final at Forest Pines Hotel and Golf Club in Lincolnshire, by two other duos - Chris McCalman (Turnhouse Golf Club) and James McGhee (Duddingston Golf Club) plus David Snodgrass (Crail Golfing Society) and Michael Patterson (Kilmalcolm Golf Club).
All four pairs will vie for a portion of the £28,750 prize fund while MacRae has an additional incentive to win.
Victory at Musselburgh means she is only the second woman to qualify for the final.
She follows Wessex Golf Centre’s Fern Grimshaw, who played in it two years ago, and intends to use it as a springboard for what she hopes will be even bigger things.
She said: “If the women are doing well, then it can be a level playing field and we’ll be up there.
“It’s a good achievement but I’ll look it as useful late season preparation for December when I’ll be playing at the Ladies' European Tour School, which is being held in Morocco this year.
“That’s the big plan for me, so to reach the Skins Final means I’ll have a big event in October, which should keep the season going.
“I haven’t been able to play that much over the last couple of months so it was good to get some form.
“But I have to say Chris did most of the hard work, he was five-under for the front nine.
“We’ve played together a fair bit in other events but only decided to enter this qualifier at the last minute.”
MacRae, a former British women's amateur stroke-play champion, hopes she can raise her profile between now and the end of the year.
She added: “I’ve never played at Forest Pines before so that’ll be a first.
“And it would be nice to get some financial backing, but you really need to be on the European Tour to get decent coverage so that’s another reason to do well.”
The full field will be concluded this week following the final two qualifiers at Bush Hill park today and North Downs tomorrow.