Scotland’s transatlantic weekend winners Martin Laird and Paul Lawrie have confirmed they will play the Barclays Scottish Open when it moves to a new location at Castle Stuart Golf Links in July.
Lawrie, the 1999 Open champion, won the European Tour’s Open de Andalucia de Golf on Sunday, just before Glasgow-born Laird became the first European winner in the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the US PGA Tour.
The winners, who produced the first Scots double on the PGA and European Tours, have committed themselves to the new links near Inverness from July 7-10.
Lawrie, an acknowledged links specialist, is particularly pleased to be returning to seaside golf in preparation for the Open a week after the Scottish, although he had many good performances at Loch Lomond, and is still on a high after his first tour win since 2002.
“It was certainly a great weekend for Scottish golf, and I hope what Martin and I achieved will inspire a few other Scots to do the same,” he said. “There has been a lot of comment about Scotland’s lack of success in recent times, but it wasn’t from lack of effort.
“The European Tour, in my view, is the strongest in the world at the moment.
“Winning is never easy, and especially right now with the high quality of players on the tour.”
Lawrie is looking forward to meeting up with Laird, whom he first encountered some years ago.
He added, “It will be great to see Martin at the Barclays Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.
“I remember meeting him while my coach, Adam Hunter, was in charge of the Scottish amateur squad some years ago he was a nice lad and a good player.
“I was impressed with him then, and I was impressed with what he did on Sunday.
“It will be good to play Castle Stuart for the first time when I head up there next month after hearing so many good reports about it.
“This is a huge deal for the Moray Firth area, having the Barclays Scottish Open on their doorstep not just in economic terms, but for the juniors and schools in the area to see this level of golf close up.”
Laird has been back to play the Scottish Open twice since he established himself on the PGA Tour, finishing 10th in 2009, 26th last year and, at 21st in the world after Sunday’s victory, it will be another chance to see the 28-year-old close up.
“I am looking forward to getting back to my homeland again to play the Barclays Scottish Open in July.
“In a pre-round interview on Sunday, I was told that Paul Lawrie had won in Andalucia, so it was extra special to be able to play my part in such a great day for Scottish golf.
“I was extremely excited about my win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational it doesn’t get much better than walking off of the 18th green to shake hands with Mr Palmer and to receive the trophy from him.
“I am pleased to be the first European ever to win at Bay Hill, which is an incredibly strong golf course, and against such a great field.
“It gives me even more confidence going in to The Masters next week.”
US Open champion Graeme McDowell, three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, Masters champion Phil Mickelson and defending champion Eduardo Molinari will all be at Inverness.