Scottish Golf defends date switch for prestigious event at Gleneagles

Scottish Golf has defended one of its flagship events being moved to a new slot on next season’s fixture list, despite it being criticised in some quarters for two different reasons.

The decision to host the Carrick Neill Scottish Men’s Open Stroke Play Championship in August instead of its traditional spot in June means that players based at US colleges will be ruled out.

In another change, the event at Gleneagles will start on a Monday and finish on a Wednesday, meaning players who work will have to take more time off than in recent years, when it was staged from Friday to Sunday.

“The date for the 2018 Scottish Men’s Open Stroke Play Championship ( 27- 29 August) was agreed a number of years ago but will revert to it st ra- di ti on all yearly season slot by 2020, if not sooner ,” said Fraser Munro, head of events at Scottish Golf.

“We are thrilled to b et akin gone of our most prestigious events to the beautiful King’s Course at Gleneagles and we are sure the international field who assemble will enjoy a first- class experience at one of the world’s leading golf resorts.

“With practice for the championship on Sunday, the Mon- day to Wednesday playing of the event will hopefully have a negligible impact on players in comparison to other 72- hole events.

“Also with t he 2018 World Amateur Team Championship being staged at Cart on House in Ireland the following week (5-9 September) these dates give us a good opportunity to attract the world’s top players to the event.

“An added bonus of the new timing sis the potential to facilitate optimal media coverage by taking the event away from a traditional Sunday finish where it compete s from a media perspective with so much more sport.”

The Scottish PGA Championship has also started on a Monday in recent years when it has also been st aged at Gleneagles, which is gearing up to host the inaugural European Team Golf Championship next year then, in 2019, the Solheim Cup.