Why Scottish Challenge is so important, even though it doesn't make money

It may be overshadowed by some of the other big events that take place during a busy summer schedule in the home of golf, but the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A is a key cog in the drive to produce a new generation of players flying the Saltire at the top level in the game.

Without it, promising Scottish players trying to make headway in the professional ranks would struggle to make headway on the Challenge Tour, the DP World Tour’s feeder circuit, hence why its return to the schedule two years ago was an undoubted boost.

First held in 2006 at Murcar Links before then being staged at Cardrona near Peebles for the next two years, Macdonald Spey Valley in Aviemore became the tournament’s home for a decade, during which time it threw up some incredible storylines.

Sam Bairstow receives the trophy from Paul Lawrie after winning last year's Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by the R&A at Newmachar Golf Club. Picture: Kenny Smith/Getty Images.

Jamie McLeary, who held off Edoardo Molinari, and George Murray recorded home successes in the first two stagings in the Highlands holiday resort before Brooks Koepka, who’d already set tongues wagging about his potential, landed the title in 2013 before going on to become a five-time major winner.

Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston triumphed the following year while David Law’s victory in 2018 helped him become not only a DP World Tour card holder but also a winner on that circuit the following year.

After being run by Edinburgh-based Bounce Sport, the tournament then wasn’t held for three years before a Scottish stop on the second-tier circuit was resurrected by Paul Lawrie through his sports management and events company, Five Star Sports Agency.

Won by Spaniard Javier Sainz in 2022 then Englishman Sam Bairstow last year at the same venue, Newmachar is now hosting it for a third time this week and Lawrie is excited once again about the prospect of the next generation of DP World Tour stars competing in his beloved North-East.

“It is (a big event) and that’s why we decided to try to bring it back after Iain Stoddart and Bounce did an amazing job with that event for years,” Lawrie told The Scotsman. “It doesn’t make money, I know it doesn’t. We lose money, but we did it because we need the invites for our players and whatever.

“So it’s important that the event is on and we thought that three years of it not being on wasn’t great, so we managed to bring it back. It’s really important for us as well for the Tartan Pro Tour as three players get invites from that to get in the field.”

On the back of his win, Bairstow secured a step up to the DP World Tour this season and, having played in the US Open at Pinehurst, is on course to qualify for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

“It’s a huge part of the pathway for British players, not just Scottish players, to try and get on the main tour,” added Lawrie, who, as has been the case for the past two years, will be on the tees to greet pro-am players and also offer encouragement to the competitors.

Former World Cup winner Marc Warren is among the home hopefuls on this occasion as he joins fellow 2024 Challenge Tour card holders Euan Walker, Daniel Young, Craig Howie and Jack McDonald.

Others flying the Saltire include Tartan Pro Tour Order of Merit leader Graeme Robertson, 2018 Open Silver Medal winner Sam Locke and Bradley Neil, who shot a sensational 61 to win the Newmachar Classic on the Tartan Pro Tour in June.

“Newmachar has been a brilliant venue,” said Lawrie, who is being helped by his two sons, Craig and Michael, as well as the likes of Michael MacDougall and Reece Mitchell, in delivering the event in tandem with the Challenge Tour.

“They have been absolutely amazing for us. They’ve let us hold the Junior Jug there for years and god knows how many foundation events. And for them to let us hold the Scottish Challenge there now for three years has been absolutely brilliant.”