Renaissance hosts Scottish Open in 2019

The Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open is staying in East Lothian with The Renaissance Club hosting the championship for the first time next July, writes Steve Scott.

The club’s Tom Doak-designed course, established in 2008, will also host the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, but that event will be moved back in the schedules to August.

The club, founded by American Jerry Sarvadi, is one of the most exclusive in Scotland but will open as part of the deal, pledging to continue to support golf tourism by targeting overseas visitors as well as introducing a reduced rate for Scottish club members.

The club will also work with both VisitScotland and Scottish Golf to support and fund women and junior golf initiatives and make its practise facilities available to Scottish Golf’s amateur squads to prepare for major events.

The move to The Renaissance also breaks with the plan to take the Scottish Open in a circuit around the country. The event has been played in Castle Stuart and Royal Aberdeen and was due to return to the north-east where main sponsor Aberdeen Standard Investments are based, but it seems no suitable venue could be identified.

Plans for a composite course at Cruden Bay appear to have been shelved, Royal Aberdeen has been less than enthusiastic about the event returning there after staging it in 2014, and the Trump International Links has been ruled out, at least while the Scottish Government are co-sponsors.

The Renaissance is a readymade venue with many logistical advantages and has been recently used for the R&A’s Open Final Qualifying event.

“We are committed to hosting our sponsored events at the best possible venues around Scotland,” said ASI chief executive Martin Gilbert. The Renaissance Club is certainly one of those and we’re delighted that the Men’s and Ladies’ Scottish Opens will be showcased to both the spectators and an ever-increasing global TV audience from The Renaissance Club in 2019.”

Jerry Sarvadi said: “We are delighted to be hosting both the Men’s and Ladies Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open tournaments in 2019. We look forward to showcasing our golf course and our other world class facilities to golfing fans from around the globe.

“The course will provide a true links challenge that will be enjoyed by the world’s golfing elite.”