Former champion Graeme McDowell insists the Scottish Open has ‘lost its prestige’ and hopes a move next year to Royal Aberdeen will return the event to its former glory.
McDowell, who is among the favourites for today’s (THUR) starting Irish Open, will skip next fortnight’s Scottish Open at Castle Stuart in favour of getting familiar with Muirfield and venue for the following week’s Open Championship.
The former US Open winner has contested the Scottish Open eight times since making his debut in 2003 and winning five years later, and in a victory that helped lead to a first Ryder Cup cap.
McDowell said: “No disrespect for the Scottish Open as I love that event, I won it inn 2008, but it’s lost its prestige.
Graeme McDowell says the Scottish Open has lost its prestige (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
“Aberdeen Asset Management has come in and they are really trying to boost it but Castle Stuart has probably been a strong enough golf course the past couple of years.
“Let’s get the Scottish Open on a phenomenal links golf course, and with a great purse, and let’s get a great world class field back there.
“That’s my feelings and the feelings and a whole of the players.
“I’m not going to sit here and be a hypocrite as I am only playing the minimum on the European Tour this year for the first time in my career, and it not something I am particularly proud of.
“But then it’s tough to compete against the PGA Tour where I’m playing 16 to 17 and where we are playing for $6m to $7m week-in and week-out.
“The European Tour is struggling and we know that, and as players we are trying to come up with a strategy to combat that.”
In fact, McDowell revealed he joined a group of some 16 players at the Tuesday night Players awards dinner last month to informally discuss the plight of the European Tour.
He said: “I am going to name names and it was just a bit of an unofficial sit down and a brain dump, really.
“It was most of the guys who are dual European and PGA Tour members, and we were trying to come up with better dates in the schedule where we can attract the top players, and really strategies where guys can come back and support the national Open’s but working out the schedule around the four majors and the four WGCs.”
And Rory McIlroy has apologised for his club-bending manners at the US Open where he used a 9-iron as a pogo stick on route to an ‘8’ at the 11th hole on day two of the event at Merion.
He said: “I just got frustrated and it definitely was not the right thing to do.
“I wouldn’t recommend anyone or anyone watching on TV or any kids to start throwing their clubs or bending their 9-irons.
“But the 9-iron is intact and has a new shaft this week and it’s ready to go.”
Ten Scots are in this week’s field headed by Ryder Cup star, Paul Lawrie and Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson who earlier in the week qualified for a first-ever Open Championship.
Bathgate’s Stephen Gallacher, and the reigning Dubai Desert Classic winner, will be looking to impress as he plays the first two rounds in the company of 2014 Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley.
