DID YOU KNOW? – ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT SCOTTISH OPEN
• Defending champion Luke Donald will attempt to create history by becoming the first player to successfully defend the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. The World Number One has already won back-to-back titles at the BMW PGA Championship, having won the event in 2011and 2012. Should he win at Castle Stuart, this tournament would represent the second time in his career he was won the same tournament in consecutive years.
• South African Ernie Els has the best record of any player in recent years in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. A winner in 2000 and 2003, he also finished third in 2004 and 2007 and ninth in 2006 and 2008.
• The 2000 event at Loch Lomond marked the last time on The European Tour International Schedule that two players had successive holes-in-one at the same hole. Jarmo Sandelin, playing in the final group in round three achieved an ace at the par three17th. This was followed by fellow Swede Mathias Grönberg, playing in the first group out in the final round.
• The true quality of the field assembled for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open is highlighted by the fact there are ten Major Champions and 94 European Tour winners competing.
• Castle Stuart was designed by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse and opened in 2009. It was voted the Best New International Course 2009 and is the most northerly British venue to stage a European Tour event.
• The 2012 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open will be the 30 staging of the event, first played in 1972 and won by Neil Coles, beating Brian Huggett in a play-off.
• The Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open has produced 26 different winners from 13 different countries. Of those 26, six have been Major Champions.
• There are 21 Scottish players competing in the 2012 event. Colin Montgomerie is the only home winner, back in 1999.
