TUESDAY, JULY 10 OPENING DATE FOR TRUMP INTERNATIONAL LINKS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com 

Tuesday, July 10 has been pencilled in as the opening date for the Trump International Links golf course at Balmedie, some 12 miles up the North-east coastline from Aberdeen.

A spokesman for the company confirmed the date, adding that there would be "European Tour involvement."

Luke Donald will be defending the Scottish Open championship at Castle Stuart GC later that week.

Donald Trump is expected to hit the official opening shot at his Scottish pride and joy.

Paul Lawrie will not be present on July 10. The 1999 Open champion explained last night:

"No. Unfortunately I won't be at the opening as the Paul Lawrie Foundation pro-am is at Skibo Castle on Monday, July 9, which would mean going up and down the road too often for me just before the Scottish Open. It's too big a week for that. Which is a pity as I would have loved to be there on the Trump International Links' big day."

One former Open champion who will play the Donald Trump course in July is Sir Bob Charles, the left-handed New Zealander who won the title at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 1963.

He will tee off just after noon on Thursday, July 26 in a four-ball with his good friend, Aberdeen businessman Jim Hardie, John Hamilton (Murcar Links) and John Cramond (Royal Aberdeen).

Sir Bob, making his second tour of North and North-east courses within a couple of years, has again had his itinerary made up by Jim Hardie who plays regularly with him in New Zealand during the Scottish winter months which Hardie escapes by heading for the Christchurch area (that destination will almost certainly change, given the destruction of large parts of the city by earthquakes).

Sir Bob will play Trump International, Royal Aberdeen, Castle Stuart, Peterculter and Ballater in the same week - quite a tiring schedule for a man who had his 76th birthday recently.

We'll give you more details later this week of Sir Bob Charles' visit and the golfers who will be his four-ball partners.