View of the spacious clubhouse from The Duke's Course.
THE DUKE’S TAKES CENTRE STAGE AS
VENUE FOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
NEWS RELEASE FROM SGU
Stephen
Gallacher won the European Amateur Championship 20 years ago and soon found himself
rubbing shoulders with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player – now he hopes a
fellow Scot can emulate him to book a spot in next year’s star-studded
Open Championship
in St Andrews.
Ryder
Cup hopeful Gallacher enjoyed a stellar amateur career, with his 1994
triumph in the European Amateur in Finland, when he edged out countryman
Gordon Sherry, among his highlights.
For
the first time since 2003 at Nairn, Scotland hosts the prestigious
event this year, adding to a wonderful mix of tournaments on Scottish
soil in 2014, including the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at
Royal Aberdeen and The Ryder
Cup at Gleneagles.
The
Duke's Golf Club, owned by the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa
in St Andrews, welcomes the cream of Europe from 6 – 9 August, with the
field seeking to emulate Gallacher and other notable past European
Amateur winners Rory McIlroy
and Sergio Garcia.
Coming
hot on the heels of the Fairstone Scottish Amateur Championship at
Downfield the previous week, a feast of golf is sure to be enjoyed on
the highly-regarded Fife lay-out.
Organised
by the European Golf Association and the Scottish Golf Union, the
stakes are especially high, as the winner receives an invitation to The
Open Championship, taking place at St Andrews in 2015.
When
Gallacher won in 1994, the 20-year-old amateur earned a spot in the
Lancome Trophy in France, playing just his second European Tour event.
Vijay Singh triumphed, Seve Ballesteros was third and Colin Montgomerie
fourth, with Palmer,
Player and Lee Trevino also competing.
Gallacher,
a three-time European Tour victor, looks back fondly and said: “I won
the 1994 European Amateur Championship to get into the Lancome and it
featured guys such as Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Lee Trevino. It was
a fabulous experience
for me at that young age.
“It’s a great event, the European
Amateur Championship. I can remember it well as I loved the European
stage. I also did well at team level with Scotland, so they are nice
memories for me.
“I
wish all the players the very best of luck for the event at The Duke’s
in August and a home win would obviously be fantastic, especially with a
place in The Open at St Andrews up for grabs.”
The
European Amateur was first played in 1986, with Gallacher the only Scot
to take the title to date. Ryder Cup star Garcia (1995), Frenchman
Gregory Havret (1999) and Sweden's Carl Petterson (2000) claimed
success, while two-time Major
champion McIlroy (2006) and another Frenchman, Victor Dubuisson (2009),
set to make his Ryder Cup debut in September, are also past winners.
A
number of Scottish players will hope to taste success in 2014, with four
members of the SGU National Squads – Bradley Neil, Jamie Savage, Graeme
Robertson and Ewen Ferguson – further honing their skills on the course
during a practice
round today.
The award-winning Duke's, highly
regarded as one of the best heathland championship courses in the
Britain, is certainly looking forward to hosting the latest instalment
of an event rich in pedigree.
David
Scott, Director of Operations at the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa adds: "Derek Robson, head greenkeeper at The Duke's, and his
team have done a fantastic job – and they are now on countdown for what
will be one of the biggest
events in the Club's history when The Duke's hosts the International
European Men’s Amateur Championship.
"We
will be welcoming the best amateur golfers from around the world who
will be playing for a place in The Open Championship in 2015. The
tournament – from 6 to 9 August – promises to be a fabulous event and is
free for all spectators
to come and enjoy with us."
The
Duke’s course, designed by five-time Open winner Peter Thomson, is set
in a spectacular location above St Andrews with panoramic views over the
surrounding countryside to the sea.
It underwent a major transformation
in the last decade,
re-opening eight years ago following substantial changes by American
golf course architect, Tim Liddy, protégé of Pete Dye.
As
part of the new Scottish Golf Membership Card offering, members of SGU
and SLGA affiliated clubs can enjoy playing on The Duke’s course with an
exclusive preferential green rate.
From 1 May until 15 October, the
price is £59 per person
or £206 per four-ball and from 16 October until 31 March 2015 the cost
is £40 per person.
Labels: GOLF NEWS