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17 October, 2008

Record-Breaking Scot Targets Royal Take-Off

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Chris Doak, who sent records tumbling on his way to topping the Tartan Tour, is aiming to round off an impressive season by winning next week's Srixon PGA Play-Offs.

The 30-year-old pro is targeting the 36-hole play-offs at Royal Liverpool to give his career a boost and earn starts in some of the European Tour's biggest events.

Doak has been in blistering form this year, topping the Tartan Tour with a record £42,022 - beating the long-standing total set by Colin Gillies in 2001.

A run of four wins on the trot including the Northern Open also ensured Doak won the Scottish PGA Order of Merit and entry to the Hoylake event where the Greenock pro will be joined by Lanarkshire's Jason McCreadie and Gary Orr who finished second and third respectively.

Doak who is also through to the second stage of European Tour school, is hoping that the play-offs will be a catalyst to realising his potential.

"I've played European Tour and Challenge Tour events but haven't been able to play a full season due to the financial situation," said Doak who has already a booked a place in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth courtesy of winning the Order of Merit.

"Hopefully the play-offs can be a springboard to bigger and better things."

Doak says there's no secret to his success, crediting lots of short game practice and an improved attitude to his success which has seen him win 11 times in total. And like many golfers, he's improving with age.

"With a lot of golfers something seems to click round about the 30 mark and playing full time on tour has always been a goal and hopefully that's getting closer," he said.

"I've changed my attitude this year where I'm not letting things get to me. If I have a bad hole I don't carry it on to the next one."

The event is now in its third year and brings together the best 21 players from across Great Britain and Ireland - the top three from each of the PGA's seven regions - for the right to be called the PGA's No1 player.

Two days of intense competition tee off over the famed links of the 2006 Open Championship venue on October 21.

The players will compete for a £15,000 prize fund with the winner securing a place in the European Open, English Open, Scottish Open and Wales Open as well as a number of Challenge Tour events.

Last year the event was won by Paul Streeter, who led a Midland Region clean sweep of the top three places.