Scottish Open (golf)

The Genesis Scottish Open is a professional golf tournament in Scotland, and is one of five tournaments that are part of the Rolex Series, which identifies it as one of the European Tour's premier events. It has been played on various courses, but in recent years it has been played on a links course, appealing to players who wish to gain experience before The Open, which takes place in the following week.

Genesis Scottish Open
Tournament information
LocationNorth Berwick, Scotland
Established1972
Course(s)Renaissance Club
Par70
Length7,237 yards (6,618 m)
Tour(s)European Tour
PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$9,000,000
Month playedJuly
Tournament record score
Aggregate260 Brandon Stone (2018)
To par−22 Benjamin Hébert (2019)
−22 Bernd Wiesberger (2019)
Current champion
Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy
Location map
Renaissance Club is located in Scotland
Renaissance Club
Renaissance Club
Location in Scotland
Renaissance Club is located in East Lothian
Renaissance Club
Renaissance Club
Location in East Lothian
Scottish Open (golf) is located in Scotland
Gl
Gl
Do
Do
SA
SA
HC
HC
Ca
Ca
LL
LL
CS
CS
RA
RA
Du
Du
Gu
Gu
Re
Re
Scottish Open venues ( 2022 venue)

Since 1987 it has, together with John Deere Classic, been the last chance to qualify for The Open. It has been part of the Open Qualifying Series since that series started in 2014. The leading 3 players (4 in 2016) not already qualified, have received an entry to the Open. Before 2014 there was generally an exemption category so that the leading player or players, not already qualified, could play in the Open.

The Scottish Open became a Rolex Series event in 2017 (when the series was inaugurated), which meant the prize fund was increased to $7 million. Beginning in 2022, the tournament was co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and title sponsored by Genesis.[1]

History

1972 and 1973

The first Sunbeam Electric Scottish Open was part of the 1972 European Tour and was held at Downfield Golf Club in Dundee. Neil Coles beat Brian Huggett at the second hole of a sudden-death playoff, holing a 12-foot putt.[2] Total prize money was £10,000 with a first prize of £2,000. Sunbeam Electric had sponsored the Sunbeam Electric Tournament in 1971.

In 1973 the event was played on the Old Course at St Andrews. Graham Marsh won by 6 strokes from Peter Oosterhuis.[3] Total prize money was increased to £15,000 with a first prize of £2,500.[4]

Both 1972 and 1973 tournaments were broadcast extensively on ITV.[5][4] The tournament was cancelled when television coverage could not be arranged in 1974.[6]

1986 revival

The event returned to the European Tour calendar in 1986 when, under a new sponsorship deal with Bell's, the Glasgow Open, which had been held at Haggs Castle Golf Club from 1983 to 1985, was rebranded as the Scottish Open.[7][8] After remaining at Haggs Castle for the first year, the tournament moved to Gleneagles in 1987 and was played the week before the Open Championship. 1987 also saw the BBC broadcast live coverage of the event, and continued to do so until 1993. It remained at Gleneagles until Bell's withdrew their sponsorship in 1994 following the switch of TV coverage from BBC to SKY that year. In 1995 and 1996 it was held, without a sponsor, at Carnoustie.

The 1986 event had prize money of £130,000 with a first prize of £21,660.[9] This rose to £200,000 with a first prize of £33,330 for the 1987 event at Gleneagles.[10] This had risen to £600,000 and a first prize of £100,000 for the 1992 tournament. Despite the loss of Bell's sponsorship the prize money increased to £650,000 in 1995 but, with the event losing money, this was reduced to £480,000 in 1996.[11]

Loch Lomond

From 1997 the Scottish Open's pre-Open place on the European Tour schedule was taken by the Loch Lomond World Invitational, which had been first held at Loch Lomond Golf Club in September 1996. The top-60 in the World Rankings were invited but few non-Europeans entered.[12] The event was broadcast by the BBC. From 1997 to 2000 the Loch Lomond event was played the week before the Open Championship. These events did not use the Scottish Open name, the rights to which were owned by ISM. From 2001, it was decided that the Loch Lomond event would be known as the Scottish Open and all prior editions, including the September 1996 event, would be granted Scottish Open status. This resulted in the anomaly of there being two "Scottish Opens" in 1996.[13] The September 1996 event had a first prize of £125,000, rising to £133,330 in 1997 and £183,330 by 2000.

The 2001 Scottish Open was run without a main sponsor but from 2002 it was known as the Barclays Scottish Open, and was played at Loch Lomond until 2010. Some concern was expressed that the course, which is very different from the links courses on which the Open Championship is played, put European Tour players at a disadvantage compared to their leading rivals from the PGA Tour, who traditionally spent a week practising for the Open on links courses in Ireland.

In 2011 it was held at Castle Stuart Golf Links, near Inverness, due to the financial difficulties being suffered by Loch Lomond. Play was reduced to 54 holes (three rounds) in the tournament due to heavy rain, which caused flooding and landslides.[14] Aberdeen Asset Management took over sponsorship in 2012, but the event remained at Castle Stuart in 2012 and 2013 before moving to Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in 2014.[15] It was played at Gullane Golf Club in 2015 and at Castle Stuart Golf Links in 2016.[16] In 2016, the attendance figures at Castle Stuart were disappointing, with a reduction of more than 20,000 to 41,809 over the four tournament days.[17] In 2017 it was held in Ayrshire, for the first time in its current guise, at Dundonald Links, and was played at Gullane again in 2018.[18] Since 2019 the event has been held at the Renaissance Club and is scheduled to remain there until 2026.[19]

Disability Event

From 2019, a 36-hole EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association) Scottish Open event of ten players takes place on the same course on the Saturday and Sunday morning of the main event.[20]

Winners

European Tour (Rolex Series)2017–
European Tour (Regular)1972–1973, 1986–2016
#YearTour(s)[a]WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upPurse[b]Winner's
share[b]
Venue
Genesis Scottish Open
42nd2024EUR, PGAT 9,000,0001,575,000Renaissance
41st2023EUR, PGAT Rory McIlroy265−151 stroke Robert MacIntyre9,000,0001,575,000Renaissance
40th2022EUR, PGAT Xander Schauffele273−71 stroke Kurt Kitayama8,000,0001,440,000Renaissance
Abrdn Scottish Open
39th2021EUR Min Woo Lee266−18Playoff Thomas Detry
Matt Fitzpatrick
8,000,0001,333,330Renaissance
Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open
38th2020EUR Aaron Rai273−11Playoff Tommy Fleetwood7,000,0001,166,669Renaissance
37th2019EUR Bernd Wiesberger262−22Playoff Benjamin Hébert7,000,0001,166,669Renaissance
36th2018EUR Brandon Stone260−204 strokes Eddie Pepperell7,000,0001,166,669Gullane
Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open
35th2017EUR Rafa Cabrera-Bello275−13Playoff Callum Shinkwin7,000,0001,166,669Dundonald
34th2016EUR Alex Norén274−141 stroke Tyrrell Hatton3,250,000541,668Castle Stuart
33rd2015EUR Rickie Fowler268−121 stroke Raphaël Jacquelin
Matt Kuchar
3,250,000541,668Gullane
32nd2014EUR Justin Rose268−162 strokes Kristoffer Broberg3,000,000500,000Royal Aberdeen
31st2013EUR Phil Mickelson271−17Playoff Branden Grace3,000,000500,000Castle Stuart
30th2012EUR Jeev Milkha Singh271−17Playoff Francesco Molinari2,500,000416,668Castle Stuart
Barclays Scottish Open
29th2011EUR Luke Donald197[c]−194 strokes Fredrik Andersson Hed3,000,000500,000Castle Stuart
28th2010EUR Edoardo Molinari272−123 strokes Darren Clarke3,000,000500,000Loch Lomond
27th2009EUR Martin Kaymer269−152 strokes Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño
Raphaël Jacquelin
3,000,000500,000Loch Lomond
26th2008EUR Graeme McDowell271−132 strokes James Kingston3,000,000500,000Loch Lomond
25th2007EUR Grégory Havret272−14Playoff Phil Mickelson3,000,000500,000Loch Lomond
24th2006EUR Johan Edfors271−132 strokes Luke Donald
Andrés Romero
Charl Schwartzel
2,400,000400,000Loch Lomond
23rd2005EUR Tim Clark265−192 strokes Darren Clarke
Maarten Lafeber
2,400,000400,000Loch Lomond
22rd2004EUR Thomas Levet269−151 stroke Michael Campbell2,200,000366,660Loch Lomond
21st2003EUR Ernie Els (2)267−175 strokes Darren Clarke
Phillip Price
2,200,000366,660Loch Lomond
20th2002EUR Eduardo Romero273−11Playoff Freddie Jacobson2,200,000366,660Loch Lomond
Scottish Open
19th2001EUR Retief Goosen268−163 strokes Thomas Bjørn2,200,000366,660Loch Lomond
Standard Life Loch Lomond
18th2000EUR Ernie Els273−111 stroke Tom Lehman1,100,000183,330Loch Lomond
17th1999EUR Colin Montgomerie268−163 strokes Sergio García
Michael Jonzon
Mats Lanner
1,000,000166,660Loch Lomond
16th1998EUR Lee Westwood276−84 strokes Robert Allenby
Dennis Edlund
David Howell
Eduardo Romero
Ian Woosnam
850,000141,660Loch Lomond
Gulfstream Loch Lomond World Invitational
15th1997EUR Tom Lehman265−195 strokes Ernie Els800,000133,330Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond World Invitational
14th1996[d]EUR Thomas Bjørn277−71 stroke Jean van de Velde750,000125,000Loch Lomond
Scottish Open
13th1996[d]EUR Ian Woosnam (3)289+14 strokes Andrew Coltart480,00080,000Carnoustie
12th1995EUR Wayne Riley276−122 strokes Nick Faldo650,000108,330Carnoustie
Bell's Scottish Open
11th1994EUR Carl Mason265−151 stroke Peter Mitchell600,000100,000Gleneagles
(King's Course)
10th1993EUR Jesper Parnevik271−95 strokes Payne Stewart600,000100,000Gleneagles
(King's Course)
9th1992EUR Peter O'Malley262−182 strokes Colin Montgomerie600,000100,000Gleneagles
(King's Course)
8th1991EUR Craig Parry268−121 stroke Mark McNulty500,00083,330Gleneagles
(King's Course)
7th1990EUR Ian Woosnam (2)269−154 strokes Mark McNulty400,00066,660Gleneagles
(King's Course)
6th1989EUR Michael Allen272−82 strokes José María Olazábal
Ian Woosnam
300,00050,000Gleneagles
(King's Course)
5th1988EUR Barry Lane271−133 strokes Sandy Lyle
José Rivero
250,00041,660Gleneagles
(King's Course)
4th1987EUR Ian Woosnam264−207 strokes Peter Senior200,00033,330Gleneagles
(King's Course)
3rd1986EUR David Feherty270−14Playoff Ian Baker-Finch
Christy O'Connor Jnr
130,00021,660Haggs Castle
1974–1985: No tournament
Sunbeam Electric Scottish Open
2nd1973EUR Graham Marsh286−26 strokes Peter Oosterhuis15,0002,500St Andrews
1st1972EUR Neil Coles283−5Playoff Brian Huggett10,0002,000Downfield

Sources:[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]

Previous event of same name

Scottish Open
Tournament information
Location Scotland
Established1935
FormatStroke play
Final year1936
Final champion
Jimmy Adams

In 1935 Gleneagles hosted a Scottish Open Championship held on the King's course. Total prize money was £750.[30] The R&A objected to the use of the term "Championship" being used for a tournament organised by a private enterprise.[31] Percy Alliss won the tournament by 4 strokes from Jack Busson with an aggregate of 273.[32] The 1936 tournament was sponsored by Penfold and known as the Penfold Scottish Open. Penfold had sponsored tournaments in Wales and England from 1932 to 1934. The tournament was played at Ayr Belleisle Golf Club. Total prize money was again £750. After 72 holes Jimmy Adams and Tom Collinge tied on 287.[33] In the 36-hole playoff, Adams had rounds of 68 and 69 and won by 11 strokes.[34] It was intended to hold the 1937 Penfold Scottish Open in the Carnoustie area, just before the 1937 Open Championship which was to be played there. The R&A objected to the arrangement and the event was cancelled.[35] Penfold resumed their golf sponsorship with the Penfold Professional Golf League in 1938.

#YearWinnerScoreMargin of
victory
Runner-upVenue
Penfold Scottish Open
2nd1936 Jimmy Adams287Playoff Tom CollingeBelleisle
Scottish Open Championship
1st1935 Percy Alliss2734 strokes Jack BussonGleneagles (King's)

See also

Notes

References

56°03′07″N 2°48′43″W / 56.052°N 2.812°W / 56.052; -2.812