Dundonal Links, Scotland … 

Swede Alex Noren will tee up this week on Dundonald Links looking to become the first player in the 45-year history of the Scottish Open to successfully defend the title.

Twelve months ago, Noren’s two-shot victory at Castle Stuart in northern Scotland was the first of four European Tour victories in the second half of last year, and with Noren in the process becoming the first Swedish-born golfer in the history of the Tour to win four times in a single season.

Noren, who turned 35 today on the eve of this week’s event, went onto capture the European Masters, the British Masters and the Nedbank Challenge and efforts that led to him reaching a career high last December of No. 9 in world.

He tees up still as the World No. 9 and having captured a ninth Tour title on May 28th courtesy of a sizzling final day and equal career low 62 to win the BMW PGA Championship in Surrey, England.

“I have many happy memories coming back here to Scotland and my win last year at Castle Stuart”, he said.

“Of course, I had won before on the Tour but nothing as big as the Scottish Open and a tournament that I thought I could never win, so it was like a dream coming true.

“This year has been a good year already but not near as good as my second half of the season last year.

“But unlike last year at Castle Stuart, I have come back to the Scottish having won the BMW PGA so I am starting to win the bigger events on the Tour.

“Wentworth was the one tournament I thought I would never win because my best finish was sixth back in 2008 but then, and after one of my best rounds ever with that 62, I managed to win and what was my happiest moment on a golf course”.

Also in the Scottish Open field is compatriot Henrik Stenson who next week defends his Open Championship title at Royal Birkdale, who became the first male Swede to win a Major with his three-shot success at nearby Royal Troon.

The World No. 7 ranked Stenson missed the cut in the recent U.S. Open but bounced back to form a week later in Munich finishing T10th in the defence of his BMW International Open title.

“To be back here on a beautiful day, it’s easy to remember last summer, of course, and what I we managed to accomplish a little bit down the road there,” said Stenson.

“It has been a busy year, hectic year, and Scottish Open is an important part of my preparation for The Open Championship, as you know.

“I’m here to try and play a bit of links golf and hopefully pick up some momentum and some form. My game feels like it’s not far away but it needs that little bit of a push in the right direction, so hopefully this week we can take it up a notch or two”.

And also looking to find form on the Scottish Atlantic west coast is American Rickie Fowler who won the Scottish Open two years ago at Gullane close to the Scottish North Sea shoreline.

The World No. 1o ranked Fowler along with Noren, Stenson and World No. 4 Rory McIlroy is among four players inside the world top 10 contesting this week’s $US 7m and also the third of the new Rolex Series tournaments.

“I am definitely looking forward to being back here in Scotland as I was a little bummed that we were not able to make it back last year with some scheduling conflicts”, he said.

And after finishing a close fifth in last month’s U.S. Open Fowler, and now in that group of one of the best players not to win a Major, is clearly also looking ahead to Royal Birkdale.

“I am looking forward to playing this week here and getting myself in position to win the tournament and be in contention”, he said.

“I have been playing well this year and everything has been trending in the right direction, being in contention in the first two Majors.

“I also enjoy playing the week before the Majors just to get myself ready to go, tick off some boxes.

“That way there’s less prep the week of a Major.  You just go out and get ready on the golf course and go play.

“The Scottish Open has been great for me going into The Open, and with my best finish in The Open after, when I played my first Scottish Open up in Aberdeen a few years ago.

“So, I think there is a lot of good that can happen these next two weeks”.