Scotland’s David Law and Scott Henry visited Aberdeen’s busiest thoroughfare this week to take up a challenge they couldn’t refuse – the chance to try to emulate reigning Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open champion, Phil Mickelson.
Law and Henry, who received late invitations to tee up in the tournament, which starts at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club on Thursday, went to Union Street in the city centre to try out a ‘simulator cube’ in which members of the public can attempt the fiendishly difficult chip which sealed victory for Mickelson a year ago.
The American’s deft shot at the first play-off hole against South African Branden Grace at Castle Stuart Golf Links secured the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open title just a week before he went on to become Open Champion at Muirfield.
The ‘Challenge Phil’ simulator cube, along with a modular putting green and swing zone at the junction between Union Street and St.Nicholas Street in Aberdeen, was a huge success with the public between last Friday and Tuesday before the activity moved on-site at Royal Aberdeen.
With professionals Malcolm Lacey and Grant Smith coordinating the activity in the city centre, several hundred golfers and non-golfers enjoyed the thrill of challenging Phil – as did Law and Henry, who are Ambassadors for title sponsor Aberdeen Asset Management.
Aberdonian Law said: “It’s been great fun to take up the challenge, even though a simulator isn’t quite the same as playing the shot for real. The computer generated image was very lifelike and it’s been a great innovation for the Aberdeen public to see just how difficult that shot was.”
Henry added: “David and I had a little challenge of our own and I think I just came out on top. My attempt was about 40 inches from the hole – a little further than Phil’s genuine attempt – but it was great to try it and to see the public get so much fun out of it as well.”
Professional Lacey commented: “We’ve had a great response from the public in the pedestrian precinct here in the city centre with hundreds of people challenging Phil and learning a bit about the game ahead of the Scottish Open. We had one 15 year old at the weekend who actually beat Phil by holing the shot!”
Spectators to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open can still try the Mickelson Challenge in the tented village area at Royal Aberdeen as one of the finest fields of the golfing year tees off in earnest tomorrow.
