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Rickie Fowler during the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open. Image credit Paul Severn

It has been confirmed that the Renaissance Club will host the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open next year, with both events returning to the picturesque East Lothian venue for the second successive season.

The 2020 edition of Scotland’s national men’s open, part of the Rolex Series, the eight premium tournaments on the Race to Dubai, will be played on July 9-12, 2020, followed closely by the women’s event on the same course on August 13-16.

Golf fans from East Lothian and beyond flocked to the Tom Doak-designed course for this year’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open as the event attracted over 66,000 spectators – the highest figure since the tournament began travelling to venues across the country in 2011, following a 16-year spell at Loch Lomond Golf Club.

This summer, fans enjoyed two weeks of world class golf as Austrian Bernd Wiesberger triumphed over a field including four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy and American stars Rickie Fowler Matt Kuchar and Justin Thomas to claim his sixth European Tour title. Three weeks later, the Republic of Korea’s Mi Jung Hur captured her third LPGA Tour title – a decade after her first – with a four-shot victory over an international leaderboard including Ariya Jutanugarn, Jeongeun Lee6 and Scotland’s Carly Booth.

In 2020, the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open will once again form part of the European Tour’s Rolex Series, as well as taking its traditional slot in the week before The Open.

Mi Jung Hur during the at Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open at Renaissance Club. Image credit Getty Images

The Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, which is co-sanctioned by both the Ladies European Tour (LET) and Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), has also become established as a key event in the schedules of many of the world’s best female golfers and will be played the week before the AIG Women’s British Open.

Founded in 2008, The Renaissance Club nestles on 300 picturesque acres along the Firth of Forth and is one of the newest additions to the world-famous stretch known as Scotland’s Golf Coast. With a minimalist design that incorporates the natural features of the land, the course has quickly become established as another East Lothian golfing gem.

The Renaissance Club has proven a significant addition to the golf tourism offering in East Lothian, gaining worldwide acclaim for the quality of its layout and design. As part of its commitments to hosting Scotland’s two national opens for the first time this year, the club continued to support the golf tourism industry in Scotland by targeting additional visiting golfers from around the world as well as introducing a reduced rate for Scottish Golf members through their seasonal tee time programme.

The club also worked with both VisitScotland and Scottish Golf to support and fund women and junior golf development initiatives and make its practice facilities available to Scottish Golf’s amateur squads during preparation for major events.

Martin Gilbert, Chairman of Aberdeen Standard Investments said: “We’re looking forward to returning to The Renaissance Club in 2020. The facilities Jerry and his team offer both sets of players, on and off the course are second to none. The feedback we’ve received is that the location works well with the golfing public as well as our colleagues.

“We’ve also listened to the professionals who played the course this year and collectively we will be implementing a number of changes based on their feedback. We look forward to welcoming back the world’s best players to Scotland’s golf coast, for what is sure to be another memorable two weeks of golf next summer.”

Sports Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “Scotland is synonymous with the world’s biggest golf events and, with both the men’s and ladies Scottish Opens among the most prestigious on their respective tours, it is vital we have a venue to match.

“The Renaissance Club proved to be a great host venue in 2019 and I’m looking forward to both events returning in 2020. They’ll have a positive impact on the economy – both locally and nationally – and will help support numerous initiatives on and off the golf course promoting healthy and active lifestyles, sports development, sustainability and inclusion.”

Jerry Sarvadi, Founder/Chief Executive of The Renaissance Club said: “The Renaissance Club is delighted to again work with Aberdeen Standard Investments and the European Tour to host both the 2020 Men’s and Ladies Scottish Opens. The 2019 events saw some of the world’s best players come to Scotland to compete in what ended up as very unusual, benign weather conditions for Scotland during the Men’s competition and somewhat more normal conditions during the Ladies competition.

“We believe the 2020 event will only grow in stature at The Renaissance Club, and we hope that as many people as possible will come and watch the truly spectacular golf being played next year in July and August.”

Mike Whan, LPGA Commissioner, and Mark Lichtenhein, LET Chief Executive, said: “The LPGA and the LET are happy to partner with our friends at Aberdeen Standard Investments and VisitScotland to again bring our tours to the same course as the European Tour.

“The last two years have been a wonderful opportunity to introduce the world’s best female golfers to the fans in East Lothian and we look forward to working together on what will surely be an exciting precursor to the season’s final major championship in 2020.”

Councillor John McMillan, Cabinet Spokesperson for Economic Development and Tourism, East Lothian Council, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that East Lothian will be welcoming the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open for a third successive year. The events are a massive opportunity to showcase all that Scotland’s Golf Coast has to offer – the partnership between fantastic local hospitality offering, delightful food and drink places, friendly local businesses and a host of superb golf courses and other local attractions.

“The Renaissance Club proved to be a popular venue this year, following the success at Gullane in 2018, and this announcement is a reflection of the events success here in East Lothian and the warm welcome that is guaranteed to players, fans and the world’s golfing fraternity.”

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Paul Lawrie captures Staysure Scottish Seniors at Craigielaw Golf Club

PAUL Lawrie won the Scottish Senior Open to claim his first Staysure Tour title in front of a home crowd at Craigielaw Golf Club.

The 1999 Open Champion battled gusty conditions throughout the final round to record a level par round of 71 to win his maiden over-50s title by two shots ahead of Peter Baker and Peter Fowler.

The Scotsman, who celebrated the 20th anniversary of his Major success at Carnoustie Golf Links last month, made the turn in 33 strokes, two under par, and battled hard in the blustery conditions on the back nine to card a round of 71.

After battling injury last season and having turned 50 at the beginning of the year, Lawrie was delighted to clinch an inaugural win on the over-50s circuit, especially on home soil.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing in Scotland and that is my fourth win in my home country and I’m very proud of that,” he said.

“I think a lot of the players struggle to play in their own country with expectations on them, but I’ve always felt comfortable playing in front of Scottish people.

“It doesn’t matter what tour it is, winning is difficult; it’s not easy. Peter Baker did a top effort to get in the house at level par, so my job was to get in at one under par, that was the only job I was thinking about and I managed to finish one better than that.

“I’ve not won since 2012 on the European Tour. Obviously, I’m a senior now and I’m playing senior events. I want to be one of the top players on the Staysure Tour and I want to be one of the top seniors, so this win is a massive step to doing that.

“My game has been getting betting for a few weeks and I’ve been telling people that I’m getting there and I’m going to win soon. The Senior Open was the first week where I felt my foot and my back were where I needed them to be. My surgeon, Gordon Mackay, said it would take a year for my foot to be right. I thought my career was over with my foot the way that it was, but Gordon McKay did a great job.”

Baker, winner of Senior Open Hauts de France by Jean van de Velde in June, recorded a one under par round of 70 to finish two strokes behind Lawrie in a share of second place with Fowler. The overnight leader was unable to follow his impressive five under par round of 66 from day two as he signed for a disappointing four over par round of 75.

Englishman David Shacklady and Austrian Markus Brier completed the top five as they signed for rounds of 69 and 73, respectively, to finish at one over par total.

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Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Opens media day.
Image free to use in conjunction with the promotion of the events courtesy of the European Tour and Aberdeen Standard Investments.
Pic Kenny Smith, Kenny Smith Photography
Tel 07809 450119

Kelsey MacDonald, Catriona Matthew, Pamela Pretswell, Michele Thomson and USA’s Beth Allen attend Media Day

European Solheim Cup Captain, Catriona Matthew, leads the home challenge as four of Scotland’s finest golfers united today alongside America’s Beth Allen for the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open Media Day at The Renaissance Club ahead of the tournament from 8 – 11 August.

The tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and Ladies European Tour for the third year running, visits The Renaissance Club for the first time in 2019, just three weeks after the Men’s Scottish Open and is set to feature at least five local hopes.

Matthew, who lives in nearby North Berwick, is a two-time winner of the tournament and will be making her ninth appearance in her National open whilst Kelsey Macdonald also tees it up for the ninth time with her best finish coming in 2016 (T19).

Thomson, who enters as the second-highest ranked Scot in the 2019 LET Order of Merit, is joined by Pamela Pretswell Asher, who returns after 20 months on the side-lines following the birth of her first child and will be looking to re-create the form that saw her finish in fourth place in 2013.

Joining them as an honorary Scot for the day and taking part in an exploding golf ball stunt was Beth Allen. The American, who captured the 2016 Ladies European Tour Order of Merit and ‘Player of the Year’ spoils, might hail from California but she has deep-seated Scottish ties having resided in Edinburgh for the last three years.

“I just love this place, Scotland is so magical” said Allen, who is also an Aberdeen Standard Investments ambassador. “Everything about Scottish golf gets me excited. I grew up playing in San Diego where you have to hit it high so playing in Scotland is a very different challenge but one that I enjoy. This will be my eighth consecutive appearance in this event and I’ll be hoping to use some of my knowledge of the area to my advantage this summer.”

The group of players are the latest to confirm participation in the 156-player field, competing for $1.5 million following the confirmation of defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn and reigning Women’s British Open champion, Georgia Hall.

Commenting on the day, Pretswell Asher, said, “It feels good to be back in the golfing fold. The last six months with my daughter Kirsty have been amazing but it feels exciting to be back in familiar territory and I am looking forward to competing against the best players in Scotland and some of the best in the world. I watched last year’s event on the TV and it was scary to see just how good some of the play was. It definitely motivated me to get my game back in good shape to compete this year. The tournament continues to grow and that is testament to the commitment from Aberdeen Standard Investments and Visit Scotland, who help put the spotlight on women’s golf here in Scotland.

Martin Gilbert, Chairman of Aberdeen Standard Investments, said, “I have watched this tournament grow from a National open to what it is today, a world-class golf event. Throughout that growth, we have always maintained the importance of recognising local talent and providing a platform for Scottish players to compete on a major golfing stage. This event is a great opportunity for all involved in our media day to showcase their ability to the world and we hope the Scottish fans get behind them at The Renaissance Club this summer.”

Paul Bush, Director of Events with VisitScotland, said, “We are delighted to support our home-grown talent at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open.which is now considered a truly world-class event. It will be interesting to see if any of the Scottish talent here today can do something to turn the head of European Solheim Cup captain, Catriona Matthew, who has been a fantastic ambassador for Scottish golf over the last twenty years.”

The Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open is the final Solheim Cup qualifying event for Team Europe with the full team announced at Gleneagles on Monday 12th August. Team Europe captain, Catriona Matthew, will be expecting all Solheim Cup hopefuls to attend.

The 2019 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open is FREE ENTRY with fun for all the family both on the course and within the spectator village.

For further championship and spectator information, please visit: https://ladiesscottishopen.com/

or follow us at @LadiesScottish #ASILSO.

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#Project19 hopeful Hannah Darling with Team Europe Solheim Cup Captain, Catriona Matthew

European Captain Catriona Matthew meets teen star Hannah Darling just ahead of six months to go milestone

Scotland, Friday 8^th March, 2019 – Two generations of female Scottish golfing talent came together to celebrate International Women’s Day just six months before the iconic Solheim Cup returns to the Home of Golf.

European Captain Catriona Matthew, who will lead her team at Gleneagles from 9-15^th September, spent an afternoon with promising young Scottish talent Hannah Darling, who hopes to join her golfing role model in Perthshire by qualifying for the European PING Junior Solheim Cup team.

Darling is one of the six players who self-started their own #Project19 initiative when they first learned of Scotland’s successful bid to host The 2019 Solheim Cup and PING Junior Solheim Cup.

The youngsters were at Des Moines Golf & Country Club in 2017 to get a taste of the event, and afterwards they set up a Whatsapp group to motivate each other to qualify for this year’s junior edition.

Hannah Darling in action at North Berwick, a jewel in the crown on Scotland’s Golf Coast in East Lothian.

Now, with just six months until another world-class sporting event heads to Gleneagles – its stunning PGA Centenary Course hosted The 2014 Ryder Cup – it is Darling who is favourite to achieve that goal after solid performances in the first two of 10 qualifying events this year.

“It’s pretty much all I’ve been working towards for the past three or four years,” said 16-year-old Darling, who last year won the inaugural R&A Girls’ U16 Open Championship and successfully defended her Scottish Girls’ Amateur Championship title she won in 2017. “I can’t really put into words what it would mean. The memories I would make and the experience I would gain from it would be amazing. It would be a great way to start my career.”

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘balance’, and that is certainly something Darling is learning to master as she juggles her golfing ambitions with her studies.

“Balance is a great word and a great message, and it suits golf well,” she said. “This year is all about balance for me.

“In terms of the women’s game, it’s good to see much more publicity around it. Even since I was a bit younger, there’s a lot more on TV which is really good. It’s good to see it changing for the better as I’m growing up.”

Matthew said: “It’s difficult sometimes trying to balance work and being at home – it’s something every family has to adapt to.

“When I first turned pro you didn’t really see much women’s golf. Now there’s a lot more on television – and women’s sports in general. Girls see that and it encourages them to take up a sport, and if it can be golf then all the better.

“It’s good to see this year’s PING Junior Solheim Cup being played at the same venue, as that hasn’t always been the case. Hopefully Hannah makes the team.”

Tickets to see Matthew lead Europe in this world-class sporting event are on sale now, with options for practice days, Opening Ceremony Day (12 Sept) and match days (13-15 Sept).

For more information visit www.solheimcup2019.com

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