Chris Kelly served up a triple scotch at Gleneagles yesterday as the Glasgow ace won the M&H Logistics Scottish PGA Championship over the King’s course.

The 40-year-old, who won the national title in 2003 and 2015, completed his hat-trick of wins in the Tartan Tour’s flagship after easing to a six shot victory with a 13-under aggregate of 197.

Kelly, who led by five overnight, closed with a three-under 67 and finished well ahead of Paul O’Hara, Gavin Hay and Bishopbriggs veteran Robert Arnott, who hit a 64.

Kelly’s success was the largest winning margin in the Championship since he won this title for the first time by seven shots over the neighbouring PGA Centenary course 14 years ago.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for Kelly. Playing partner O’Hara managed to stir up a little dose of the heebie-jeebies when he reduced the leeway to just two shots on the back nine. It was only a temporary scare, though, and Kelly coasted home to pick up the £9,500 first prize as he joined the likes of Sam Torrance, Bernard Gallacher, John Panton and Eric Brown in a glittering group of players who have won the national crown three times or more.

Kelly said: “Any win is nice and I’m just as delighted with this win as I was with my first in 2003 and my second in 2015.”

Kelly had been seven ahead after seven holes of his final round but O’Hara kept chipping away and, having birdied 11 and 12, he got to within two shots when he picked up another shot on the 14th after Kelly had made a bogey on the 13th. “All of a sudden it’s two and I’m thinking ‘oh no, here we go’,” Kelly admitted.

With O’Hara now forcing Kelly to peer anxiously over his shoulder, the leader tempered the growing apprehension by plonking a 6-iron into the 15th to two feet and making birdie. “That was crucial,” he added.

Kelly swiftly tightened his grip on the 16th with a 8-iron into a few feet for another birdie as O’Hara stumbled home with a couple of bogeys which halted his advances.

“Paul had me going at one point but I played the last few holes very well,” said the new champion.

Motherwell man O’Hara, who had to settle for the runners-up spot for the second year running, said: “I thought I had a wee chance when I got to within two but on the 16th I hit my worst iron shot of the week and then three-putted 17th and that was it.”