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While the Scottish Open has come under fire from Graeme McDowell saying that “it has lost its identity and prestige,” reigning British Open champion, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson will again use this week’s tournament as a warm up on the Scottish Links ahead of the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield next week.
McDowell turned his form around with a four-shot victory at last week’s French Open but will bypass this week’s tournament, and instead taking a pot shot, probably not realising that the purse is far greater than that of the Irish Open, McDowell’s home tournament which he played in this year.
“The Scottish Open has lost its identity and its prestige. Castle Stuart probably has not been a strong enough golf course,” McDowell told The Scottish Sun.
“Let’s see them get the Scottish Open on a phenomenal links golf course with a great purse and get a world-class field back.”
Els, who took a vacation following his win at last month’s BMW International Open in Germany, has emulated his successful schedule from last year and made the tournament a late addition to his schedule.
“Playing the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open is not only the perfect preparation for The Open, it’s also a tremendous tournament in its own right,” Els, a two-time Scottish Open said.
“Playing links golf in Scotland is such a fantastic experience, especially on a beautiful course like Castle Stuart.”
“I have very fond memories of my two wins in the Scottish Open, and if I can win it a third time next week, it would be the perfect platform for my defence of The Open.
“The Scottish galleries are very knowledgeable, they really know their golf, so if we can get some decent weather we should be in for another great week.”
Despite poor results in the past at the tournament, Phil Mickelson echoed the remarks of Els as he looks to call upon his US Open form after a missed cut at the Greenbrier Classic last week.
“We need to be capitalising a little harder on the week before and after the Open,” Mickelson said. “Playing Castle Stuart gives me a great opportunity to be competitive against a world class field on a links course the week before The Open.”
While it’s a shame that more of the top PGA Tour stars haven’t decided to add the tournament to their schedule, the tournament is far from short of firepower with the likes of Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson, Francesco Molinari and Shane Lowry teeing it up this week along with seven former major winners and 18 of the 29 European Tour winners this season.
Like the previous two years will the British Open winner again come from the Scottish Open?
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