The Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open will become a co-sanctioned event on the LPGA Tour with a prize fund rising to the biggest in Europe outside the majors from next year.
The Ladies European Tour and LPGA will form a partnership with the title sponsor and VisitScotland for a three year deal that will see the LSO become a 72-hole strokeplay event with a full field of 156 and a prize fund of $1.5 million (£1.25 million) from July 27-30.
Only four years ago the LSO was played for a total prize fund of just £220,000.
The event has risen in stature over the last three years with better fields in the schedule slot just before the RICOH Women’s British Open, but with the steep rise in prizemoney and the LPGA coming on board the event – which will be staged at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, the same venue as the men’s Scottish Open two weeks beforehand – has entered elite status in women’s golf.
The development of the profile of the Ladies Open has been a prime target of Martin Gilbert, the chief executive of Aberdeen Asset, which is title sponsor of both Scottish Opens as well as a number of native players and the amateur governing body in Scotland, Scottish Golf.
“This is huge stepping stone for the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open to rank alongside the biggest tournaments across both tours,” said Gilbert.
“It has been our vision to grow the event to a point where it becomes a staple on the world’s best players’ calendars whilst continuing to expose our brand in key markets. This deal, with live TV on both the Golf Channel and Sky Sports, will continue to do that and we would like to thank all of those that have come together to make it happen.”
The increase in profile also goes alongside the commitment to growing women’s golf with the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in 2019.
Paul Bush, Director of Events with VisitScotland, said: “Scotland is known around the world as the home of golf and host of the world’s greatest golf events so it is entirely fitting that the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open stands proudly alongside these world-class tournaments on both the LET and the LPGA. “The huge success of the men’s Scottish Open taking place the week before The Open provided the inspiration for us to achieve similar success with the Ladies Scottish Open ahead of the Ricoh Women’s British Open and these outstanding two weeks will now rival anything the world of golf has to offer.
“This historic agreement underlines Scotland’s commitments to women’s golf as we look forward to The 2019 Solheim Cup and I would like to pay tribute to both the LET and the LPGA, alongside our partners at Aberdeen Asset Management, for the vision to make this a reality.”
The involvement of the LPGA is an additional boost with the premier circuit likely to bring even more of the top players to Dundonald ahead of the Women’s British Open, being held at Kingsbarns in Fife the following week.
LPGA Commissioner, Mike Whan, said: “Given Scotland’s rich history in golf, I am excited that the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open will provide an opportunity for the best players in the world to spend two consecutive weeks in Scotland.
“This tournament will be a great lead-in to the RICOH Women’s British Open, and give our global fans a great two-week viewing experience from the UK. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the LET, Aberdeen Asset Management, and VisitScotland to bring the world’s leading professional women golfers to our Scottish fans and spectators.”
