Ten things to watch out for in golf in 2024

Golf correspondent Martin Dempster picks out some of the most exciting events ahead and other highlights on the cards in 2024.

After a drama-packed 2023 - both on and off the course - it’s going to be a hard act to follow but another exciting year looks in store in the golf world in 2024 and here are some of the highlights, most of which, of course, are from a Scottish perspective.

1 AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews

The event’s third staging on the Old Course - Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa won in 2007 before American Stacy Lewis triumphed six years later - will see the world’s top players compete for upwards of $9 million after its elevation in recent years through a partnership between The R&A and AIG. American Lilia Vu will be the defending champion on 22-25 August, when home fans will be hoping Scottish No 1 Gemma Dryburgh can emulate Charley Hull after the English player got herself in the mix coming down the stretch in the final round at Walton Heath last year.

American Stacy Lewis won the Women's Open the last time it was staged on the Old Course at St Andrews in 2013. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

2 The Open at Royal Troon

It had originally been scheduled to mark the 100th anniversary of the event first being played at the Ayrshire venue in 1923 but the 152nd Open was pushed back 12 months due to the Covid pandemic. It takes place on 18-21 July and, following Brian Harman’s stroll to victory, albeit impressive, at Royal Liverpool in the 2023 event, here’s hoping we get something more like the titanic tussle between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson in the last Claret Jug joust at Royal Troon in 2016.

3 Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club

The East Lothian course stages the Rolex Series event for the sixth year in a row and will have Rory McIlroy as the defending champion on this occasion after his sensational birdie-birdie finish to pip Bob MacIntyre in the 2023 edition. The event’s status has been raised through it becoming co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour and another world-class field is set to gather on Scotland’s Golf Coast on 11-14 July, when it will mark the start of a new ‘Closing Swing’ on the DP World Tour.

Rory McIlroy, pictured celebrating with caddie Harry Diamond after his birdie-birdie finish to win in 2023, will be back to defend the Genesis Scottish Open title at The Renaissance Club in July. Picture: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

4 Senior Open presented by Rolex at Carnoustie

It’s always a treat watching top-class golf at the Angus venue, as witnessed when Francesco Molinari won a thrilling Open there in 2018 before Anna Nordqvist triumphed in an equally-captivating contest in the AIG Women’s Open three years later. This event on 25-28 July will be the third Senior Open to be held there, Bernhard Langer having won in 2010 before Paul Broadhurst became a senior star with his success six years later. Padraig Harrington will be one of the favourties on this occasion at the venue where he won The Open in 2007.

5 Solheim Cup

Yes, it is taking place for the second year in a row as it moves away from being held in the same year as the Ryder Cup. Suzann Pettersen and Stacy Lewis will renew their rivalry after being the two captains at Finca Cortesin in Spain in September, when a 14-14 draw meant Europe retained the trophy. Taking place on 13-15 September, the latest contest is being played at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, where the aforementioned Dryburgh will be hoping to keep her spot on the visiting team.

After twice getting her hands on the Solheim Cup as captain, including a home success at Gleneagles in 2019, Catriona Matthew is now aiming to lead Great Britain & Ireland to victory in the 2024 Curtis Cup at Sunningdale. Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images.

6 Curtis Cup

There are a number of reasons why this is going to be an intriguing contest. First and foremost, it’s being staged at Sunningdale on 30 August-1 September and it will be a cracking venue for the biennial contest. Secondly, Catriona Matthew will be the Great Britain & Ireland captain and she’ll be determined to add to her two wins over the US as Europe’s Solheim Cup captain. Hannah Darling will have her sights on making Matthew’s team and, if successful, it will be a third straight appearance in the event for the Broomieknowe player.

7 Tartan Pro Tour

The creation by Paul Lawrie of the Scottish circuit has been one of the great success stories in recent years, having been born from the 1999 Open champion wanting to provide playing opportunities for home-based professionals during the Covid pandemic. It’s now an official feeder circuit for the Challenge Tour and two cards for the DP World Tour’s development circuit in 2025 will be up for grabs through the Tartan Pro Tour Order of Merit. That’s a huge incentive for the likes of Sam Locke, Kieran Cantley and Rory Franssen.

8 The Masters at Augusta National

Due to the fact it’s the first major of the new season and a lengthy gap since the last one, there’s always an extra level of excitement in the build up to this event and the fact the defending champion on this occasion will be Jon Rahm is set to make it even more intriguing following his recent decision to join LIV Golf. It will also be interesting in the build up to the event on 11-14 April to discover how Augusta National Golf Club plans to handle LIV players going forward as they tumble down the Official World Golf Rankings.

9 Scottish Golf schedule

Following a decision that should be widely applauded, the Scottish Boys’ Championship is not being merged with the Scottish Girls’ Championship in 2024. The boys’ event will take place at Scotscraig, where it will retain a match-play element, with the girls now heading to Forfar. The Scottish Men’s Open is taking place at Muirfield so a treat is in store there, as is always the case when the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open concludes at Royal Troon, doing so on this occasion three months before it stages the 152nd Open.

10 Scottish PGA Championship at Dalmahoy

It may not be nearly as big as it was in its heyday, when huge crowds turned out at the Kirknewton venue between 1993 and 1996, but it’s great to see this event, now sponsored by Loch Lomond Whiskies, returning to Dalmahoy on 27-30 August as part of the 2024 Arnold Clark PGA in Scotland schedule. The East Course at Dalmahoy remains a splendid test of golf and it will be an exciting opportunity for the current crop of Tartan Tour stars to try and follow in the footsteps of Sam Torrance, Andrew Coltart, Colin Gillies and Brian Marchbank after their title triumphs at one of Scotland’s iconic tournament venues.