The DP World Tour returns to Fairmont St Andrews this week for the 2022 Hero Open as Scotland continues to celebrate an incredible summer of golf. Here are your five things to know.
Tour’s third visit to Fairmont St Andrews
The Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews plays host to a DP World Tour event for the third consecutive year, with the first used for the AXA Scottish Championship in October 2020. It has also served as a venue for the Scottish Senior Open on six different occasions and as a Final Open Qualifying Venue for the 150th Open earlier this summer. The Hero Open, first held in 2020 at the Forest of Arden, now returns for its second staging at the resort which lies a few miles outside of St Andrews. The event is also the fourth of a six-week UK swing and sees links golf remain the challenge awaiting Tour members.
Fox bids to climb season-long rankings
Ryan Fox will be looking to continue his excellent season and claim a second Tour title this year, following his five-shot victory at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February. The New Zealander has registered seven top-tens in 15 appearances this year, including three runner-up finishes, pushing him to fifth on the DP World Tour Rankings in partnership with Rolex. A second win of the season would see Fox, who is the highest ranked player in the field this week, leapfrog Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick into third position, behind leader Rory McIlroy and Will Zalatoris, on the season-long competition to crown the DP World Tour’s number one player.
Forrest looks to defend title
Grant Forrest produced a brilliant birdie-birdie finish to win his maiden Tour title on home soil at last year’s Hero Open. The 2018 Challenge Tour Graduate began the final round in a share of the lead and shot a six-under 66 to finish one shot ahead of England’s James Morrison. Fellow Scots Calum Hill, who had won his maiden Tour title a week earlier, and David Law also finished in the top five. Forrest’s victory saw him become the first Scot to win in his homeland since Paul Lawrie at the 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and the 29-year-old enjoyed an encouraging preparation for his title defence as he finished tied third in last week’s Cazoo Classic at Hillside Golf Club.
Can home hopes maintain winning formula?
There are no shortage of Scots aiming to emulate Richie Ramsay and make it back-to-back Scottish winners on Tour. Long-standing multiple DP World Tour winners Stephen Gallacher, Marc Warren and Ramsay are joined by a younger generation of Scottish starts including defending champion Grant Forrest, Ewen Ferguson, Connor Syme and Hill. Also hoping to make it another Scottish success story for the second year running is Liam Johnston, who graduated from the Challenge Tour alongside Robert MacIntyre, Law and Forrest in 2018.
One to watch
Sam Bairstow might already be a name familiar among golf followers after appearing in the last two editions of The Open Championship. The Sheffield amateur has come through the 36-hole Final Qualifying both times, proving he can produce fine golf under pressure. After missing the cut at Royal St George’s last year, Bairstow was one of four amateurs to play all four rounds in The 150th Open at St Andrews earlier this month. In June, Bairstow missed out on victory in the Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham St Annes and ranked seventh in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the 23-year-old is England’s best player competing in the non-professional ranks.
