The final Major of the year has been and gone. Royal St George’s looked fantastic and it played brilliantly. What a worthy winner. Collin Morikawa played the best golf, with style, class and with a clear enjoyment of the game. There will be many more Majors to come, we think.
Morikawa was keen to point out that his journey to Scotland and the Renaissance Club the week prior, certainly helped him fine-tune his links game. Scotland’s Golf Coast, East Lothian hosted the Scottish Open the week before the Open and the Champion Golfer of the Year talked positively about getting acclimatised to links golf. The Renaissance is a slightly different challenge to the links courses of Kent, but the unpredictability of the weather, the turf and the type of golf, no doubt helped Morikawa with his shot choice and club selection.
The Scottish Open was an amazing event. Fans were back, the field was terrific and the weather made it tricky enough. With five of the world’s Top 10 playing, it is clear to see that the golfers are treating the Scottish Open as the place to be before the Open.
Min Woo Lee was another terrific winner, holding his nerve in the play-off and joining the likes of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and Rickie Fowler as Scottish Open champion.
The focus on golf in Scotland continues throughout 2021 and into 2022. This August, the new and hugely impressive Dumbarnie Links, plays host to the Women’s Scottish Open, then the AIG Women’s Open is at Carnoustie the week after.
In September, the Legends Tour heads for Royal Aberdeen. Former Open champion, Paul Lawrie, hosts the Scottish Senior Open. There is still so much golf to look forward to.
The attention then turns to The Home of Golf, St Andrews. The Alfred Dunhill Links will be in October and the small matter of the 150th Open in July 2022. That will be some week!
During these uncertain times, golf courses being closed, open, events being on, off, travel being restricted, cancellations and postponements all part of the day to day routine, it is a huge credit to the industry that golf is still plugging away. The personalities and products are definitely shining a light on leisure and tourism in Scotland. Whether golfers have played, or are still waiting to play, the world-class golf in Scotland has a unique anticipation and aura. A member or a visitor, the golf experience Scotland offers is to be cherished. The smiles that come to the golfers’ faces, the laughs and competition re-ignited, golf can allow us to forget for a while and enjoy normality.
For Collin Morikawa and Min Woo Lee, there is no doubt summer in Scotland will hold a place very close to their hearts.
