Russell Knox, Paul Lawrie, Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren will head up a strong home challenge at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open when they arrive at Castle Stuart Golf Links from July 7-10, all harbouring dreams of becoming the first Scottish winner since 1999.
Colin Montgomerie was the last Scot to win his national Open, at Loch Lomond 17 years ago, a victory which preceded one of the most famous triumphs in Scottish golfing history – Lawrie’s dramatic Open Championship win at Carnoustie just a week later.
Both Montgomerie and Lawrie will feature in a star-studded field when the Scottish Open returns to Castle Stuart for the first time since 2013, while the country’s younger generation will also be hoping to follow in Montgomerie’s footsteps.
Tickets to see these Scottish stars battling global stars such as World Number Seven, and winner of last week’s BMW International Open, Henrik Stenson, and five-time Major Champion Phil Mickelson are available through thetournament website.
Knox will arguably be the star of the show as he returns to his home town for the first time since claiming the biggest victory of his career at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China last November.
The 31 year old currently sits in 26th position in the Official World Golf Ranking and will play in all four of the Major Championships this year for the first time. He recently stated that victory at Castle Stuart – just 12 miles from Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, where he learned to play the game – would represent the biggest achievement of his career to date.
Warren will enter the week with high hopes having come so close to claiming the prestigious trophy in recent years, finishing in third place twice and fourth place in the last four years.
The 35 year old has previous when it comes to winning on home soil – his second of three European Tour victories came at Gleneagles in 2007, when he beat Englishman Simon Wakefield in a play-off.
The Glaswegian’s last victory came two years ago at Made in Denmark and, having come close to a fourth title at last year’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, he will be hoping to finally get his hands on the Scottish Open trophy which has thus far only marginally eluded him.
Ramsay, meanwhile, will be hoping to improve his record of only making the cut twice in eight appearances at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, as the three-time European Tour winner targets a first title since his win at the 2015 Trophée Hassan II.
He finished joint runner up in the 2014 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on three of his country’s most famous links courses, and will be hoping to go one better at Castle Stuart.
American-based Scot Jimmy Gunn will return to his native Highlands to make his Scottish Open debut. The 35 year old – who, along with Knox, Lawrie and Montgomerie, is an Aberdeen Asset Management Ambassador – has lived in the USA since 2007 and appeared in a Major Championship for the first time at last year’s U.S. Open, having played a full season on the Web.com Tour in 2014.
European Tour regulars Craig Lee and Scott Jamieson are also in the field at Castle Stuart Golf Links, providing plenty of interest for Scottish golf fans hoping to see their own in action on the stunning lay-out overlooking the Moray Firth.
