Craigielaw to stage Scottish Senior Open in September
Craigielaw is the new venue for the Scottish Senior Open, joining near neighbours Archerfield Links and The Renaissance Club in staging the event in recent years, writes Martin Dempster.
The East Lothian club will host by far its biggest tournament so far on 14-16 September after it was confirmed as this year’s venue for the event on the newly-rebranded Staysure Tour. “The team here at Craigielaw are looking forward to welcoming such a prestigious event on the Staysure Tour,” said Jonathan Porteous, Craigielaw’s director of golf. “Craigielaw is a modern, forward-thinking, welcoming golf club that has superb off-course facilities and a golf course that will provide the players with excellent playing conditions and a fantastic test of golf.”
The event was held at Archerfield Links in both 2015 and 2016 before moving to The Renaissance Club last year, when Englishman Paul Broadhurst lifted the title for the second time in three years.
“We are delighted to have secured an outstanding new venue in Craigielaw Golf Club for the Scottish Senior Open’s fourth visit to East Lothian in as many years,” said David Maclaren, head of the Staysure Tour. “East Lothian has few peers in the UK as a centre of golfing excellence, and Craigielaw, as a relative newcomer to the scene, has undoubtedly enhanced the landscape since opening for play in 2001.”
Craigielaw, which is owned by the Earl of Wemyss, hosted the 2006 Scottish Amateur Stroke Play Championship and was also one of the qualifying courses for the Senior Open Championship at Muirfield the following year.
“The Wemyss family and all of the team at Craigielaw deserve this opportunity to showcase their superb facilities,” added Maclaren.
The announcement adds to a bumper year for top-class golf in East Lothian as Gullane is hosting the Scottish Open and Ladies Scottish Open, both backed by Aberdeen Standard Investments, in July.