Professional golf events get green light to restart in Scotland

Carnoustie is set to stage the first event on the new Tartan Pro Tour next week. Picture: Mark Alexander

Professional golf events have been given the green light to return in Scotland with immediate effect.

The welcome news was delivered by David Longmuir, manager of the PGA in Scotland, in an email to members this morning after it had been rubber-stamped by the Scottish Government.

It means the Tartan Tour will retstart with the Deer Park Masters Pro-Am next week, when the first event on Paul Lawrie's new Tartan Pro Tour, the Carnoustie Challenge, will also be held.

"The PGA in Scotland is pleased to confirm that Scottish Government Ministers have approved the resumption of professional golf competition in Scotland with immediate effect – subject to adherence to all Scottish Government Covid restrictions, as well as the PGA guidance and protocols," said Longmuir.

"The PGA in Scotland would like to thank the Scottish Government for their collaborative approach in reaching this decision. As PGA members will appreciate, our priority remains containing the spread of the virus, saving lives, and safeguarding the NHS.

"Therefore, restrictions may be introduced and approval may be withdrawn if circumstances change either nationally or locally."

This season's Tartan Tour hadn't properly started before Scotland went into Covid-19 lockdown.

A number of events have been cancelled, but a revised 2020 schedule includes the Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA Championship at Deer Park.

It will be the first time that the circuit's flagship event has been held at the Livingston venue in 30 years.

The Scottish Young Professional Championship has also been re-arranged, with Haddington set to be a new venue for that on 14-15 September.

The Carnoustie Challenge is the first of six events on the new Tartan Pro Tour, with Royal Dornoch and St Andrews also staging tournaments.

While professionals are now free to travel around the country to play in events, amateurs are still waiting to get the thumbs up for open competitions.

Organisers of the Standard Life Gold Medal will be hoping that will be coming soon from the Scottish Government and Scottish Golf after confirmed that the 150th staging is on track to go ahead over a reduced 18 holes next Saturday (8 August).

The event is the oldest amateur stroke-play tournament in the world and has been sponsored by Standard Life throughout its 150-year history.

Past winners include Ryder Cup players Lee Westwood, Andrew Coltart and Per Ulrik Johansson.

“We are really pleased to be making this announcement today," said Stewart Kirkwood, captain of Leven Golf Society, which runs the event.

"While the event is subject to confirmation from the Scottish Government and Scottish Golf that Open competitions can go ahead, we have taken the decision to move forward with the planning for our 2020 Standard Life Golf Medal.

“The organisers and stakeholders involved in this year’s event are working hard to ensure that the delivery of this year’s event meets all relevant safeguarding and protocols are in place.

"As a result, the event has been cut from a 72-hole two-day event to a 36-hole one-day event.”

The tournament will only go ahead if the latest Government advice permits and the event will follow guidelines from the Scottish Government, Scottish Golf and the R&A.

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