Scottish Open sweat over fans
Organisers of next week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open in East Lothian are waiting to hear if they can press ahead with plans for it to be a crowd test event.
The proposal, which was only announced last Friday, has been put in doubt after yesterday’s tightening up of Covid-19 restrictions by First Minister Ni cola Sturgeon.
It had been agreed by the Scottish Government that 650 spectators per day would be in attendance next Saturday and Sunday at the Rolex Series event at The Renaissance Club.
That followed test events in other sports in Scotland, with about 700 sociallydistance d fans being in attendance at BT Murrayfield during an Edinburgh- Glasgow rugby clash, and 300 at Scottish Premiership matches hosted by Aberdeen and Ross County, against Kilmarnock and Ross County respectively.
However, it has now been decided that further test events inside grounds for Scottish Premiership matches have been put on hold and a U-turn could also be on the cards for golf.
A spokesperson for the European Tour told The Scots man :“Discussions are ongoing with the Scottish Government and we will provide any update in due course.”
Br yson Dechambeau’s “Fosbur y flop moment” in golf is also set to motivate top women golfers to hit the gym in a bid to overpower courses, according to rival Solheim Cup captains Pat Hurst and Catriona Matthew.
After bulking up by 40 pounds in the past year, Dec ham beau, in set, used a combination of brute strength and a silky touch on and around the greens to claim a maiden major title with victor y in the 120th US Open at Winged Foot on Sunday.
Assessing the 27-year- old’s display, former Ryder Cup player Ken Brown likened it to the high jump technique created by the 1968 Olympic gold medallist, Dick Fosbury, suggesting it could be a gamechanging achievement that would forever alter how the sport is played.
“I have to say that golfers are definitely more athletic now than they were even ten years ago, so he’s changing a lot, and I think everybody is watching it ,” said Hurst, the US S olheim Cup cap - ta in, as she agreed that Dechamb eau’s approach can also have an influence on the women’s game. “He just won the US Open and everybody wants to be like the top player.”
Concurring, Matthew said: “Even the women are more athletic, they’re working out more, trying to get stronger. Obviously, as women, we just can’t put on that muscle mass that Bryson has. But I definitely think the players are getting stronger.
“On the ladies’ Tour, everyone is hitting it further. It’ s just not quite the same extreme as the men are doing. But, yeah, everyone is just trying to get that little edge that might just take them to the next level.
“I’m sure a lot of the women will be watching Br yson and heading to the gym, trying to put on a little more muscle.”
Jokingly, Hurst added: “Hell, I’ve tried to gain that weight and be a little bit longer. I don’t think it helped me. Now I’m trying to lose the weight!”
The two captains were speaking at a media roundtable inter view in the build-up to next year’s Solheim Cup in Toledo, Ohio, where Nor we - gianSuz ann Petters en will be one of Matthew’s vice-captains. After holing the winning putt in last September’s match at Glen eagles, Petters en announced her retirement and, a year on, the 39 -yearold insisted she has no regrets about that decision.
“The ever yd ay structure I really miss, waking up always knowing what’s on the schedule to do,” she said. “The one thing I’m not missing is the frustration and the sleepless nights trying to figure out how to play this game, and waking up not feeling guilt y or bad that you haven’t done enough.”