Marc Warren insists a new venue for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open does nothing to detract from his confidence as he looks to continue his impressive record in the event.
Third at Castle Stuart in 2012 and again at Royal Aberdeen last year, Warren heads to Gullane for this year’s event in good form having been a runner-up in Qatar earlier this year and 27th at the recent US Open.
“The last few years, the Scottish Open has been good to me,” said the 34 year old. “Fingers crossed that form continues this week.
“We’ve got a great golf course ahead of us this week, a great test, so I’m just really looking forward to getting started.
“I think you come back to an event, you see the staging is quite similar to what it was, although different venues, there's something quite familiar about it.
“No matter what course it was played on the year before, if you had a good finish, you take confidence from that.”
A three-time European Tour winner, including on home soil at Gleneagles in 2007, Warren admits that a victory this week could be career defining.
“For the Scottish guys, it's definitely the fifth Major,” he added. “Outside of the Majors, it doesn't get any bigger than this.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
And Warren believes the Scottish crowds can play a part in boosting a strong local challenge which also includes Colin Montgomerie, Ryder Cup star Stephen Gallacher and US PGA Tour winner Martin Laird.
“If things are going well, the crowds spur you on, get you back on track,” he continued.
“You look out in the crowd, you see friends and family there. You just seem to get extra cheers when you're playing in front of the home crowd and that's great. I really enjoy that; it’s something I like forward to every single year.
“The last few years, I came close to winning and being in contention on Sunday afternoon in Scotland, doesn't get much better. Obviously something like that I would take massive positives from.”
