Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!

[David_Tepper]

For the 2nd year in a row, the wind came up on the last day and the scores rose accordingly. No doubt Sunday pin positions contributed as well. Only 5 scores under 70 today.

[DMoriarty]

I seldom watch professional golf, but I am glad I recorded this tournament for the course alone.  What a pleasure it is to watch them play on a course with a design and setup that actually promote interesting golf.   And just a little but of wind makes a world of difference.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Good to hear Jonathan.

Dornoch is too far from the airport and I am not sure they would even want such an event. Macriharnish is also too remote I would imagine but it would be interesting to see how the pros dealt with Prestwick. I do not think it will end up at Trump's either but I could imagine the Ryder Cup going there.

Jon

Jon it is my understanding that in Europe you 'buy' hosting the Ryder Cup by promoting several tournaments on your course and other friendly deeds, rather than any direct sums paid out.  If Trump wants the Ryder Cup he's going to have to put his course down for several Scottish Opens first?

[Jon Wiggett]

Tony,

you maybe right though I just can not see the Scottish Open going there, maybe Mr Trump will swing a World Golf Tour event. Then again, maybe he will sell up if the profit is right.

Jon

[Adam Lawrence]

David,

I'm sure the views FROM the clubhouse are wonderful.  The views OF it however leave much to be desired IMNSHO.

You're kidding surely? It's a beautiful building.

[Adam Lawrence]

having talked with a few of the players they all were very excited about the course and the fact it made them think about strategy and decisions of what shot to play. All of them said they hoped the Scottish would return to CS soon.

Jon

Sponsorship secured thru 2017 with a likely return to Castle Stuart in 2016.

I hope that they bring the tournament to some other courses that are not part of the Open Championship Rota.

Dornoch?

Macrihanish Dunes? I think Macrihanish Old would be too short.

Prestwick?

And, I'll go ahead and say it: Trump International?


http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/sport/golf/scottish-open-sponsors-secured-to-2017-1-3000729

Gossip in the industry is that Trump has said he does not want the Scottish Open, but is targeting the 2022 Ryder Cup. I agree with Tony's point that the usual way of securing a RC in Europe is to back the Tour for some considerable time before the event. Generally, you also need the government and golf authorities of the country in question onside - cf the money that is going into the development of new golf facilities (practice areas and short courses mostly) in France in advance of 2018 and the huge effort that the Welsh executive put into golf promotion before Celtic Manor. So you'd have to assume there would be other ET events held at Trump in the runup to any RC.

I still find it hard to believe though. The furore in the rest of Europe if the cup went back to Scotland so quickly would be immense. And the course is not suited to an event that would see 40,000 people following four matches imo. Where would they go?

[Ally Mcintosh]

Is Royal Aberdeen just confirmed for one year - 2014?

If so, my money is on The Renaissance Club in 2015 with a return to Castle Stuart sometime after.

The Open venues can't hold The Scottish Open, am I right in saying? There's an agreement between R&A and European Tour on this (?)

[Thomas Dai]

Gossip in the industry is that Trump has said he does not want the Scottish Open, but is targeting the 2022 Ryder Cup. ........

I still find it hard to believe though. The furore in the rest of Europe if the cup went back to Scotland so quickly would be immense. And the course is not suited to an event that would see 40,000 people following four matches imo. Where would they go?

Where would they go?

Perhaps they could sit or stand on the berms surrounding the local residents houses? Or maybe be seat-belted onto the arms of the offshore wind turbines? Whoooops!

ATB

[Niall C]

Is Royal Aberdeen just confirmed for one year - 2014?

If so, my money is on The Renaissance Club in 2015 with a return to Castle Stuart sometime after.

The Open venues can't hold The Scottish Open, am I right in saying? There's an agreement between R&A and European Tour on this (?)

Ally

I've told the a story before that way back when the Scottish Open played at Carnoustie (might have been Tiger's first event on a links) and was Carnosutie's great comeback after many years of neglect, the owners of the Scottish Open were keen to base the SO there for the forseeable future. The Links Trust were keen until the R&A stepped in a had a quite word, promising them a crack at the Open if they didn't sign up for the SO. They didn't and a few years later Carnoustie held its first Open in near 25 years.

Niall

[Tom_Doak]

Is Royal Aberdeen just confirmed for one year - 2014?

If so, my money is on The Renaissance Club in 2015 with a return to Castle Stuart sometime after.

I would wager the same way.

I figured with "ABERDEEN Asset Mangement" hosting the event that it would go to Trump's course next, but apparently he is not so interested.  I know The Renaissance Club is still interested in hosting it and I would guess that having the event near Edinburgh would be a winner for the sponsors, especially with the Open at St. Andrews just up the road.

However, these negotiations are about money not golf architecture, so there is no telling what will happen until it happens and the money has changed hands.

[Jon Wiggett]

Royal Aberdeen is definite for next year with Castle Stuart in for 2016. 2015 & 2017 yet to be decided.

Jon

[Tim Pitner]

Adam Scott on The Renaissance Club:

"Q. The Renaissance Club has been touted as a possible Scottish Open venue, can you tell us what you think about the facility over there, and can you see the Scottish Open possibly being held there?

ADAM SCOTT: There was talk of that yesterday. They were telling me it's potentially going there in a few years time. The facility is fantastic. I've enjoyed being over there. They've been extremely courteous to me, and let me use the facilities all last week to practice. And I think there's no doubt that it can host a tournament of that stature in the future. There are still a couple of new holes that have just been finished, but in a couple of years, absolutely, it will be ready. It's a tough test. It wasn't very windy yesterday, and it was a pretty tough test."