Angus Council supremo David Fairweather has commended staff and local residents for going “above and beyond” in their preparations for the Open championship.
Speaking after a tour of the course and talks with key council staff, Mr Fairweather said he was bowled over with the work that had gone into making the event a success.
“As the practice rounds come to an end and the competition itself gets under way, I would like to take the opportunity to express sincere gratitude to everyone involved in putting this magnificent spectacle together,” he said.
“What we are seeing here is the culmination of many months of preparation, and thousands of hours of work as the significant amount of infrastructure required to host a global sporting event of this kind is put into place.”
Mr Fairweather said council staff had been key to ensuring the tournament goes smoothly, working extra hours on top of their day to day duties.
“I think people will agree that the effort has been more than worth it,” he said.
“Carnoustie, and of course the rest of Angus, will benefit from the extraordinary levels of global media coverage that this event attracts.
“We only need to look at the size of the media pavilion, and speak to some of the international journalists to appreciate the true scale of the exposure we will receive from this event.”
Mr Fairweather said Angus stood to benefit from the raised profile for years to to come.
“The county enjoys a significant economic boost while the tournament is on, but I am also confident that the success of the tournament will see golfers return year after year, ensuring an economic spin-off that will last long after the stands have been dismantled and the golfers have gone on to the next competition,” he said.
Mr Fairweather also thanked local residents for their efforts and understanding during the tournament and the preparation stages.
He said: “I know that local groups and individuals have put an enormous effort into making Carnoustie look its best, and their work really has paid-off — the town looks magnificent.
“I’m also aware that residents have been inconvenienced by the road changes and security measures that have had to be put in place, and the council is extremely grateful for people’s understanding”
