A whole host of Scottish stars will tee it up on home soil next week at Fairmont St Andrews for the second edition of the Hero Open, from August 5-8.
Four-time European Tour winner Stephen Gallacher, who represented Europe at the Ryder Cup in 2014, will go in search of a second victory in the historic town of St Andrews after his 2004 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship success.
“St Andrews is such a significant place with regard to the history of golf, so to have a victory there is very special,” said Gallacher, who won the Hero Indian Open in 2019. “I always look forward to having the chance to play in front of home fans, they give us a real boost and I know all the players – but especially the Scots - are looking forward to their support during the week.”
Joining him in the field are some of the next generation of Scottish stars in Grant Forrest, Callum Hill, Liam Johnston and Connor Syme, who are all seeking maiden European Tour victories. Syme is from Kirkcaldy in Fife, just 25 miles south of St Andrews.
“I’ve played there a lot,” said Syme. “I’ve had the chance to go up and I’ve had a good amount of preparation around there – the guys have looked after me in the recent weeks and I almost feel like a member myself.
“The course is in good condition and, like all links courses, everything depends on the weather up there. The greens look in perfect condition, the course is great and the rough is up – I’m sure it’ll be a similar challenge to last year.
“It’s brilliant to have fans back out and the ones in the UK have the best reputation for their understanding of the game, so hopefully they’re out in good support for the local guys.”
David Drysdale, Scott Jamieson, David Law, Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren will also be teeing it up on home soil in the second of three European Tour events to be held in Scotland on the 2021 Race to Dubai.
“Any time you’re in and around St Andrews, there’s a special kind of atmosphere,” said Ramsay. “It’s always a nice short drive and a warm welcome and somewhere I feel I can do well because of the conditions and the setup of the golf course. It’s always in good condition, particularly the greens – it’s just a lovely place to play golf.
“It’d be great to see people out there supporting us. When we played Ireland and Scotland earlier this month, you felt the difference – it’s a substantial difference for us, having crowds out there.”
Tickets for the Hero Open are available from £19 for concessions (under 18 and over 60) and £24 for adults, with free entry for children aged 13 and under.
All tickets for the Hero Open are subject to Scottish Government health guidelines, with a comprehensive refund policy in place should spectators be unable to attend due to on-going COVID restrictions. A full FAQ can be found here.
The only official sales channel to purchase tickets for the Hero Open is via the ticketing platform Eventbrite. The resale of tickets on unofficial platforms contravenes the European Tour’s ticket terms and conditions and such sales render the ticket void.
