Paul Lawrie to play in ScottishHydro Challenge at Aviemore
FROM THE HERALD NEWSPAPER WEBSITE
By Douglas Lowe
The pathway for the development of Scottish talent has gained a little definition with the announcement that the Scottish Challenge on the European Challenge Tour is to be sponsored by Scottish Hydro for the next three years.
This is the tournament that, for example, has helped Richie Ramsay gain his foothold on the European Tour. Through a series of contra deals with events in other countries, it is possible to give Scottish players who do not have a tour ranking a schedule of six or seven events they would not otherwise have had.
The tournament will be called the Scottish Hydro Challenge and, with a prize fund of 200,000, it will be one of the more lucrative on the European developmental schedule.
This is the tournament that, for example, has helped Richie Ramsay gain his foothold on the European Tour. Through a series of contra deals with events in other countries, it is possible to give Scottish players who do not have a tour ranking a schedule of six or seven events they would not otherwise have had.
The tournament will be called the Scottish Hydro Challenge and, with a prize fund of 200,000, it will be one of the more lucrative on the European developmental schedule.
It will be further boosted by the presence of Paul Lawrie (pictured above), the former Open champion, who will take a week off from the top tier to give the event a higher profile and also to set himself up as a target for the aspiring players.
Having previously been hosted at Murcar Links and Cardrona, Peebles, the event will be played at the Macdonald Spey Valley course in Aviemore which held the Tartan Tour's Northern Open last week.
The only downside is the date of the tournament, July 30 to August 2, which clashes with the Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Troon. That means that six invitations to the Scottish Golf Union have had to be returned and will go to young professional players instead.
Having previously been hosted at Murcar Links and Cardrona, Peebles, the event will be played at the Macdonald Spey Valley course in Aviemore which held the Tartan Tour's Northern Open last week.
The only downside is the date of the tournament, July 30 to August 2, which clashes with the Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Troon. That means that six invitations to the Scottish Golf Union have had to be returned and will go to young professional players instead.
Efforts are being made to reschedule the Scottish Hydro Challenge a few weeks earlier next year from what has become a notorious date, because it also clashes with the Women's British Open, which is to be staged five times in Scotland over the next decade.
Lawrie plans to have his eldest son Craig as caddie for the week. "Craig is excited about his role, although he might see a different side to his father than the one he's used to," said Lawrie. "Mind you, I don't think I'll be as harsh with him as I am with my regular caddie Andy Forsyth; I think his mum might have something to say about it if I was.
"In terms of preparation and play, though, I'm going to treat it like a normal week on the European Tour. I'm certainly not going up there on holiday; I'm going there to win, because I don't play in tournaments unless I feel I can win them.
"Tournaments like the Scottish Hydro Challenge are crucial in raising the profile, not only of the Challenge Tour, but also of tournament golf in Scotland in general as we look ahead to the Ryder Cup in five years' time.
"I wish I'd played the Scottish Challenge in 2006 when it was at Murcar Links but, unfortunately, it was up against the European Open at that time. Whenever possible, I think it's important that guys from the main tour play in tournaments in our own country like the Scottish Hydro Challenge."
The need for tournaments like this is illustrated by the case of Craig Lee, winner last week of the unsponsored Northern Open, whose prize fund was drastically reduced. The 32-year-old collected £2700 compared to £8000 last year.
Lee lost his European Tour card last year and his eventual ranking of No.186 was four places away from even a Challenge Tour schedule. He is trying to make his way back via the third-tier EPD Tour in Germany and wonders why he is not able to do that in Scotland, where the Tartan Tour has only two 72-hole tournaments, the Northern Open and the Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles.
The Stirling player is using the predominantly pro-am based Scottish schedule to raise money to fund his German campaign, where he is currently No.1. It costs about £1000 a tournament in expenses. Two weeks ago he finished fifth and estimates he actually lost £300.
"Why not have a third-level tour in Scotland, because the EuroPro Tour is all south," he asked. "I don't know if it would work, but has anyone contemplated it? It is a lot to ask but I believe the money is still out there. We just have to work harder to find it."
*Published by permission of the Herald newspaper in which the original article appears today.
Lawrie plans to have his eldest son Craig as caddie for the week. "Craig is excited about his role, although he might see a different side to his father than the one he's used to," said Lawrie. "Mind you, I don't think I'll be as harsh with him as I am with my regular caddie Andy Forsyth; I think his mum might have something to say about it if I was.
"In terms of preparation and play, though, I'm going to treat it like a normal week on the European Tour. I'm certainly not going up there on holiday; I'm going there to win, because I don't play in tournaments unless I feel I can win them.
"Tournaments like the Scottish Hydro Challenge are crucial in raising the profile, not only of the Challenge Tour, but also of tournament golf in Scotland in general as we look ahead to the Ryder Cup in five years' time.
"I wish I'd played the Scottish Challenge in 2006 when it was at Murcar Links but, unfortunately, it was up against the European Open at that time. Whenever possible, I think it's important that guys from the main tour play in tournaments in our own country like the Scottish Hydro Challenge."
The need for tournaments like this is illustrated by the case of Craig Lee, winner last week of the unsponsored Northern Open, whose prize fund was drastically reduced. The 32-year-old collected £2700 compared to £8000 last year.
Lee lost his European Tour card last year and his eventual ranking of No.186 was four places away from even a Challenge Tour schedule. He is trying to make his way back via the third-tier EPD Tour in Germany and wonders why he is not able to do that in Scotland, where the Tartan Tour has only two 72-hole tournaments, the Northern Open and the Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles.
The Stirling player is using the predominantly pro-am based Scottish schedule to raise money to fund his German campaign, where he is currently No.1. It costs about £1000 a tournament in expenses. Two weeks ago he finished fifth and estimates he actually lost £300.
"Why not have a third-level tour in Scotland, because the EuroPro Tour is all south," he asked. "I don't know if it would work, but has anyone contemplated it? It is a lot to ask but I believe the money is still out there. We just have to work harder to find it."
*Published by permission of the Herald newspaper in which the original article appears today.
Labels: CHALLENGE TOUR
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See story on its own page | Tuesday, June 02, 2009
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