European Tour golf will come to the Highlands for the first time this July with the confirmation that the Barclays Scottish Open will move from Loch Lomond to the Castle Stuart Golf Links near Inverness.
The tour is understood to have agreed a three-year deal with the relatively new course on the Moray Firth Coast, which will be the seventh host venue of the prestigious tournament since 1972, following Downfield, St Andrews, Haggs Castle in Glasgow, The Gleneagles Hotel, Carnoustie and Loch Lomond, which staged the event from 1997 to 2010.
The move is also significant for taking the Scottish Open back to a links setting for the first time since the 1996 event at Carnoustie, a move long mooted due to the tournament’s schedule slot the week before the Open Championship and the perceived need for the world’s top names to get a week’s acclimatisation to links golf before the biggest championship of the year.
The Open this year is based at the other end of the British Isles at Royal St George’s in Sandwich, Kent, but twice-Open champion Padraig Harrington is among several top names confirming they will return to the Scottish now it is back on links, albeit a new, purpose-built development rather a traditional natural track.
The Irishman, who preferred to tune up for the Open on links in Ireland rather than attend the Scottish at the parkland Loch Lomond layout in recent years, said, “Castle Stuart is reputed to be a fine addition to Scotland’s links courses and I think many players will welcome the opportunity to play competitive links golf the week prior to The Open Championship, which has proved to be ideal preparation for me in the past.”
Fellow Irishman, current US Open champion and former Scottish Open champion Graeme McDowell and regular Scottish Open attendee Phil Mickelson have also given their seal of approval to the switch.
McDowell said, “I will always have wonderful memories of my victory in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in 2008 but I am delighted at the prospect of playing two classic links courses in consecutive weeks this year in the Barclays Scottish Open at Castle Stuart followed by The Open Championship at Royal St George’s.
“As a native of Portrush, I grew up with links golf and I’ve heard some great reports about Castle Stuart and am really looking forward to playing the course.Exciting”The combination of an exciting new venue and a top class sponsor in Barclays should ensure a memorable tournament there in July.”
Mickelson added, “I am really excited about moving the Barclays Scottish Open to Castle Stuart Golf Links this year.
“I know I’m looking forward to testing my game on a strong links course the week before The Open Championship and I’m sure a number of top players from the PGA Tour will be taking advantage of the opportunity. This is set up to be outstanding for the tournament, the players and the fans.”
Long-time sponsors Barclays remain on board with an option to extend their sponsorship beyond this year, and the prize fund is again one of the European Tour’s most lucrative, with a total of £3m at stake and £500,000 to the winner.
Castle Stuart has been open for less than three years, the brainchild of golf developer Mark Parsinen, who was also responsible for another highly acclaimed “new” links, Kingsbarns in Fife.
Designed by Parsinen’s fellow American Gil Hanse, Castle Stuart was voted best new course for 2009 by Golf Magazine USA while Ron Whitten and has been lavished with praise for its layout and setting.
“I fell in love with links golf in the British Isles 40 years ago and have spent the past 15 honing certain links sensibilities, firstly with the crafting of Kingsbarns in St Andrews and now with Castle Stuart in the Highlands,” said Parsinen.
“All of us involved with Castle Stuart know what a privilege it is to host the Barclays Scottish Open as the first stop in a two-week celebration of links golf in the British Isles.”
European Tour chief executive George O’Grady said, “It is always exciting to break new ground and everyone at the European Tour is delighted to be staging one of our most prestigious events at a new venue which has been so widely acclaimed.
“Our members already enjoy competing at Kingsbarns on the European Tour international schedule and I am sure they will eagerly anticipate testing their skills against this design.
“Loch Lomond were extremely courteous and supportive during our negotiations to move forward with the championship and we will all take away some wonderful memories of our time there and we wish them well in the future.Strong”This year’s venue might be young, but we are delighted to maintain our strong relationship with Barclays for whom this is the 10th year of its title sponsorship of the event.
“Such a level of involvement speaks volumes for their overall commitment, not only to the European Tour but to golf worldwide.
“We congratulate Barclays for the vision in supporting the Barclays Scottish Open at such an outstanding venue for championship golf.”
Barclay’s managing director Tim Pea said, “Scotland as the home of golf has a history of developing and presenting world class golf courses and tournaments, and the Barclays Scottish Open has always sought to reflect that pedigree.
“I would like to thank Loch Lomond Golf Club, its management, owners and members for hosting the Barclays Scottish Open over the past nine years.
“Loch Lomond’s exceptional green- keeping combined with its superb organisation and hospitality has delivered memorable and exciting golf and made the Barclays Scottish Open an essential part of the golfing calendar.
“We have always received requests from professionals to host the Barclays Scottish Open at a links course and we are delighted the European Tour has selected Castle Stuart.
“We look forward to working with the team at Castle Stuart and our partners at The European Tour to continue to deliver a world class tournament. WWe are confident the course will be a fantastic venue for the public and our clients to watch the world’s best golfers compete for the Barclays Scottish Open.”
As well as the support of Barclays, the tournament has also garnered widespread backing from the public sector agencies in the local area, namely Highland Council, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Visit Scotland, Event Scotland and Scottish Development International, all of whom who have pledged their support and assistance.