Henrik Stenson confirms Scottish Open appearance

Open champion Henrik Stenson will make his first appearance on Scottish soil since securing the greatest victory of his career, when he tees it up at the 2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Dundonald Links from 13-16 July.

Henrik Stenson is heading to Dundonald Links - closeto where he became Open champion at Royal Troon last summer. Picture: Brian Spurlock

Stenson has a special affinity for Scotland, the Home of Golf, after breaking a plethora of long-standing records to win his first Major Championship title at Royal Troon last summer.

The Swede will return to the Ayrshire coast - just six miles from the scene of that memorable victory - for his tenth Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open appearance as the tournament once more assumes prime position in the week before The Open Championship.

This year Scotland’s national open will also be the third event in the European Tour’s new Rolex Series, a premium category of tournaments each with a minimum prize fund of US$7million.

Scottish golf fans will be hoping that Stenson will bring his 2016 Open Championship form to Dundonald in July after his unforgettable battle with five-time major winner Mickelson at Royal Troon.

Stenson went toe-to-toe with Mickelson in a thrilling final round, carding a Sunday 63 to equal the lowest round in Major history and also set the lowest aggregate score ever recorded in a Major.

The battle drew comparisons with the legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus just along the coast at Turnberry in 1977.

Scotland’s national open has been an invaluable part of Stenson’s preparations for The Open in recent years.

A third-place finish at Castle Stuart Golf Links in 2013 propelled him to runner-up spot at The Open, just behind a certain Phil Mickelson. Then, after a two-year absence from the Scottish Open, a 13th place finish in 2016 preceded a role reversal as he came though that famous battle to lift the Claret Jug. Stenson said: “I’m looking forward to coming back to Scotland and to playing at Dundonald, which is just down the road from Troon. Obviously it is going to make it a special week for me at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. It’s a tournament which has helped me prepare really well for The Open and I’m looking forward to the new venue at Dundonald.

“I played the Scottish Open in 2013 and went on to finish second to Phil in The Open the following week. Then I missed Scotland for a couple of years and didn’t do that well the following week. I played last year the week before Troon and we all know how that turned out, so playing in the Scottish Open definitely helps to fine tune the links game.”

* Fans can buy tickets to see some of the world’s best golfers competing on the Ayrshire coast - including official Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open hospitality packages - at www.aamscottishopen.com/tickets