New date on Scottish golf calendar

Jan 11 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

AS the Gleneagles Scottish Championship again takes pride of place on the professional calendar for this year, a new 54-hole tournament will join it, inspired by former Open Champion, Paul Lawrie.

To be held at an Aberdeenshire course still to be confirmed, this will join the other four-round championship, the Northern Open, again being played over Meldrum House.

The dates for the Paul Lawrie event are likely to be mid-June, while the Northern Open, being defended by Greig Hutcheon, moves to late August.

Yesterday at their snow-covered Gleneagles base, PGA Scottish secretary Michael MacDougall “We’ve already sorted out sponsorship and a TV deal for Paul’s invitational event.”

The notion of creating the event arose when Lawrie and Big County based Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie were travelling back from Hong Kong last November.

And Monty may even be persuaded to play, if commitments allow.

“The field of 60 to 70 players will mainly be Tartan Tour regulars, hopefully some European Tour campaigners, and those players who find themselves in limbo, not playing the top tour,” added MacDougall.

The Gleneagles Scottish Championship is again likely to be played in October.

PGA officials had hoped to move it to the last week in September, but that slot has been filled by the European Tour’s Dunhill Championship at St Andrews.

“We’re delighted to have Gleneagles Hotel again supporting our flagship event. This will be the 13th successive year of the championship being played there. It’ll again be on the King’s Course, following the format established last year, with a field of 66 starters.”

The defending champion will be Chris Doak.

Other Order of Merit events on the year’s schedule are the Deer Park Masters (August 2/3), and Kerr Investments at Dumfries & Galloway (September 3/4). Dates and venues have still to be finalised for the WaterAid 36-hole event.

The successful Sprint Series (four 18-hole outings) culminating in a 36-hole final at the Duke’s Course, St Andrews, will this year boast Order of Merit status.

The Young Professionals’ Championship returns to West Lothian (September 6-8), and the Royal Dornoch Young Pros’ Masters (September 24-26) is renamed the Sandy Pipey Memorial event.