Global investment group Aberdeen Asset Management has extended its deal sponsoring Scotland’s elite amateur golfers for a further year, enabling the next stage of the ambitious preparation for a Walker Cup year.
A 10-man Scottish squad leaves for South Africa this month, having already enjoyed a winter training camp in the United Arab Emirates last month, financed in large part by the sponsorship from AAM, who have ploughed as much as £250,000 into the amateur game over five years.
With the matches between the top Great Britain and Ireland amateurs against their American counterparts being staged at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in September, the hope is to get as many Scots in the team as possible, with leading players James Byrne (from nearby Banchory) and current Scottish champion Michael Stewart already regarded as near-certain candidates for selection.
AAM chief executive Martin Gilbert has been an active proponent of golf sponsorship, backing his friend Paul Lawrie, Colin Montgomerie, Sandy Lyle and Mhairi McKay among leading professionals while supporting the Senior Open in the past and presently the Ladies Scottish Open, the Brunei Seniors and the Tartan Tour’s Northern Open.
Gilbert said, “We are very pleased to be extending our sponsorship of the Scottish Golf Union and the elite squad after our successful partnership over the last four years.
“Golf is hugely important to Aberdeen Asset Management and we are committed to every level of the game in Scotland, with a strong desire to see our players flourish, whether they be our leading tour professionals to the youngsters in the Scottish golf academies.”
The South African trip, lasting from January 25 to March 21, will allow the Scots international team to get more warm-weather training and most of the accommodation and ancillary expenses for trip have been provided by Johann Rupert, the man behind the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
SGU chief executive Hamish Grey said the trips were part of a revamp of winter preparation to ensure the elite squad “hit the ground running” at the start of the domestic season.’No excuses’He said, “The players have their individual targets which involve titles and tour school as the season goes on, while the aims are doing well in European championships and having as many Scots as possible in a winning Walker Cup team at Royal Aberdeen.
“Our previous winter programme served us well but we didn’t think it maximised benefit to our players.
“So what we’ve done is borrow other sports’ best practice, and gone to UAE to get away from our weather at the moment but also to work on personalised physical training programmes and technical coaching, specifically in the short game and putting.”
He added, “That’s followed up with the eight-week trip to South Africa, where we can play in five of their Order of Merit events, while continuing to work on individual training programmes so that the guys return for our season competition-ready.
“It’s a big change and we could simply not afford that without the support of Aberdeen Asset Management, who have been fantastic supporters of Scottish golf, and also Johann Rupert.”
Mr Grey said, “We’ve given every bit of support we can and it’s all we can do, it’s now down to the players they’ve got to go and do it and they deserve all the plaudits if they do.
“There’s no excuses but this is still elite sport and there’s no guarantee everyone will make it.”