The Charles Church Scottish Seniors Open will return to Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club in Scotland, from September 1-3. It will be the fourth time the tournament has been staged on Marriott Dalmahoy’s renowned East Course, which has recently undergone a £1m upgrade.
On the last occasion the Midlothian venue hosted the Scottish Seniors Open, in 2000, the spectators were treated to a spectacular final day display from Australian Noel Ratcliffe, who produced a seven under par 65 to come from seven strokes off the lead and snatch the title.
Despite Ratcliffe’s brilliance and the victory by England’s Neil Coles - the current Chairman of the European Tour Group - in 1999, the most popular winner associated with Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club has to be David Huish, the Edinburgh-born professional who beat Northern Ireland’s David Jones in a thrilling play-off to capture the title in 1998.
Bill Longmuir became the second Scotsman to win his national seniors open when he triumphed at The Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course, Kelso, in 2004, while Aberdonian John Chillas has twice gone close, missing out by a shot that year and finishing tied third in 2003.
Defending champion in 2006 will be England’s Nick Job, who in August closed with a one under par 71 to beat former professional footballer Jean-Pierre Sallat of France at The Roxburghe, which has been the venue for the previous five editions of the Scottish Seniors Open.
Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Seniors Tour, said: “We are delighted to be returning to the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club later this year for the 14th edition of the tournament. The championship East Course hosted the Scottish Seniors Open between 1998 and 2000 and we witnessed three great tournaments from which emerged three worthy winners in David Huish, Neil Coles and Noel Ratcliffe.
“We are extremely grateful to Charles Church and EventScotland for their support of one of our premier events at one of the Home of Golf’s great inland golfing venues. The Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club is a wonderful facility in a prime position near the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, and I know our players will enjoy the recent changes and are already looking forward to September. The baronial splendour of the hotel and the excellent leisure facilities will provide a fitting accompaniment to what I am sure will be a fantastic tournament.”
Neal Graham, Director of Golf at Marriott Dalmahoy, is delighted the tournament is returning. “The new layout for the Championship East Course opened in May 2005, following a high level of investment, and we are certain it will provide a fantastic challenge for the cream of the European Seniors Tour.”
David Bryant, Main Board Director of Charles Church, one of the UK’s leading housebuilding brands, said: “Over the years Charles Church has built a strong reputation for supporting golf in Scotland and we are delighted to mark our fifth year as title sponsor of the Scottish Seniors Open with a move to the magnificent Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club in Midlothian.
“We have been part of four great tournaments at The Roxburghe, where the Duke was a superb host, but now we are focused on making the return to Marriott Dalmahoy another memorable chapter in Scotland’s rich golfing history.”
Information regarding entry tickets and advance purchasing will be announced shortly.
