Fitness freak powers off at Auchterarder match

Jun 10 2011 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

FITNESS freak Graeme Brown is hoping for a repeat performance at this year’s Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship at Auchterarder on Monday.

After winning last year’s Lang Toon match, the 31-year-old Montrose Golf Links assistant finished joint sixth with Elie’s David Patrick at two over par at the final.

But this year, he is looking for an improvement on his second attempt at the prestigious title, which pre-dates the US Masters back to 1930.

The £32,000 final will be held in association with FootJoy at the East Sussex National from August 10-12.

Other Scots hoping to qualify for a shot at the title include Ewan McPherson from the host club Auchterarder,

Blairgowrie’s Calum Lawson and Gareth Wright from West Linton.

A strong contender, Brown, now in his second year of the PGA’s three-year Foundation Degree, completed an Alabama university golf scholarship and has played the Asian Tour, Challenge Tour, and PGA Europro Tour.

“I’m a bit of a fitness freak anyway, but I am interested in combining fitness and health specifically for golf .

“I’ve been working with a company doing just that for the last four years,” he said.

“But I still have the same ambitions and want to play on the European Tour.

“The reason I decided to train with the PGA was that I wanted some financial security, I wanted another string to my bow besides playing.

“Now I found that I combine fitness coaching and training with playing.

“I have to say my golf has actually improved as a result.”

Visit www.PGA.info for reports and scores from the Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship.