ELS, SCOTT COMMIT TO
BARCLAYS SCOTTISH
OPEN, BUT
HARRINGTON
DEFENDS IRISH
PGA TITLE



FROM THE HERALD SPORTS WEBSITE
The Barclays Scottish Open is set for a huge boost with two, and possibly three, of the world's top-five ranked players scheduled to tee up at Loch Lomond.
Ernie Els, of South Africa, and Australia's Adam Scott have confirmed they will compete in the tournament which starts on July 10, and there are hopes that Phil Mickelson, the American world No 2, will make his customary appearance in the week before the Open championship at Royal Birkdale.
However, Padraig Harrington, the Open champion, pictured right, will be missing, as he will be playing in the Irish PGA Championship, as he did last year before his Carnoustie triumph.
Els, who won at Loch Lomond in 2000 and 2003, said: "I'll be playing Loch Lomond till I can't walk," while Scott, who won his second straight Qatar Masters title just over a week ago, said: "I've always enjoyed playing Loch Lomond and it's a great test ahead of the Open.
"Now that I have rejoined the Tour, the Scottish Open was one of the first events I put on my schedule. When I was a young kid just turning pro, the European Tour extended me a lot of invitations. It would be poor of me to forget that."
Joining Els and Scott will be Spain's Sergio Garcia and Germany's Martin Kaymer, second to Tiger Woods in Dubai at the weekend.
Harrington, the first Irishman in 60 years to win the game's oldest major, will again hone his links game in his own national championship at the European Club the week before Royal Birkdale.
Harrington, who won the Irish PGA crown for the fourth time last year over the County Wicklow course, said: "I'm looking forward to defending my title and delighted to support the Irish region of the PGA."
The former European No 1 will be competing for £15,000 on home soil instead of the £550,000 top prize at Loch Lomond, but he said: "I believe the fantastic challenge provided by the European Club was the ideal links golf preparation for the Open last year, and I hope it proves to be the same in 2008."