Scottish Open returns to Castle Stuart
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THE Scottish Open will be returning to the Castle Stuart course near Inverness next summer – with a major backer set to replace Barclays who this week opted not to renew its sponsorship.
This illustrious event, celebrating its 30th anniversary next year will keep its prime date in the week preceding The Open Championship on the 2012 European Tour schedule, which means the Highlands can get set to host top stars on July 12-15.
Extreme downpours led to this year’s Scottish Open in its new venue in the North, which replaced Loch Lomond, being reduced to a 54-hole tournament, but the organisation and reaction to the weather drew worldwide praise, as did the stunning course itself.
Fraser Cromarty, Castle Stuart’s sales and marketing manager, expects a new sponsors’ announcement to be made soon.
He explained: "We have a three-year contract with the European Tour and, despite this week’s news, I have spoken to the European Tour and the 2012 Scottish Open will be coming to Castle Stuart.
"I know there are a number of major title sponsors who have been lined up as potential successors to Barclays and I am very confident that a decision will be made on this as soon as possible."
He added: "Barclays have sponsored the Scottish Open tremendously well over the past 10 years and this decision doesn’t come as a big surprise in the current financial climate. I am sure we are now entering a new era for the Scottish Open and we can look forward to it returning to Castle Stuart."
Grant Sword, partner at Castle Stuart, said: "Following the successful move to Castle Stuart in Inverness this year and the universal praise received from the players, media, and spectators alike, Castle Stuart Golf Links is looking forward to working closely with The European Tour and a new sponsor in the coming years."
World number one Luke Donald won the title at Castle Stuart this summer, with a closing 63 – the lowest round of his European Tour career – to claim his second successive title in Europe after his BMW PGA Championship victory earlier in the year.
Barclays took over the title sponsorship of the Scottish Open in 2002 and, in partnership with The European Tour, turned it into one of Europe’s leading golf events attracting the world’s best golfers to play in the event.
Argentina’s Eduardo Romero won the first Barclays Scottish Open title at Loch Lomond, and winners since then have included Major champions Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell and Ryder Cup players Thomas Levet and Edoardo Molinari in addition to Luke Donald.
George O’Grady, chief executive of the European Tour, said: "The combination of a world-class title, prime date in the week immediately before The Open Championship and stunning location in Scotland – the Home of Golf - make this a particularly attractive proposition and we look forward to securing the future of the Scottish Open with a new sponsor.
"I would like to thank Barclays for its support of European golf and am delighted it will continue to sponsor The Barclays Singapore Open, a European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event."
