For the third and final time, Castle Stuart will host the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in its 31st edition. The departure from the stunning links just outside of Inverness, will represent another stage in what has been a transitional period for the event since it moved to Castle Stuart from it’s previous long-time venue Loch Lomond. The thinking behind the move to a links golf course was that a stronger field would be enticed to enter the Scottish Open, in order to gain some valuable competitive play before The Open Championship.
However, it hasn’t quite worked out as intended. Sponsorship issues have plagued the event in recent years, but Castle Stuart itself also hasn’t quite exhilarated the players’ interests. The beautiful layout, designed by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse, was opened in 2009 to rave reviews, but it hasn’t provided an adequate challenge for many of the game’s leading players. It’s a very wide-open course off the tee, contrast to what the players will typically encounter at an Open Championship, and that has likely deterred many from competing this week.
The Scottish Open will be relocated to Royal Aberdeen, a former host of the Walker Cup and Senior Open Championship, next year. After that, the future of the tournament remains underdetermined, as the latest sponsorship contract will end, and it will be a joint effort between the European Tour and the Scottish Government to organise the future of one of the Tour’s most prestigious events.
However, Castle Stuart has attracted many of the game’s best-known players as they prepare for next week’s Open Championship at Muirfield. It should be noted that the last two winners of golf’s oldest Championship, Ernie Els and Darren Clarke, both played at the Scottish Open the week prior. In a way, it would be fitting if that streak continued next week, and one man who is hoping it shall continue is world number eight Phil Mickelson.
The four-time major champion, who agonizingly missed out on an opportunity for a fifth major at last month’s U.S. Open, is making his 11th appearance in the Scottish Open, and believes that his week in Inverness will help hone his game for Muirfield:
“The forecast this week looks to be spectacular and Castle Stuart, it's one of the best golf courses are I've played”, said the 43-year-old Mickelson, “I just love it and love the tournament. I think it's a great place to hold The Scottish Open. I think it's a great place to play prior to, the week before The Open. I just think it's a wonderful golf course, and gives me a chance to work on my shots along the ground, short game, putting; the grasses are very similar. It's just a wonderful course.”
Clearly a fan of the layout, it certainly benefited Mickelson in 2011, as he followed up his week in Scotland with a runner-up finish in The Open Championship at Royal St Georges. Except for that narrow loss to Darren Clarke two years ago, and a strong performance at Royal Troon in 2004, Mickelson has never consistently brought his best game to an Open Championship.
However, links golf is a completely different challenge to what Tour players face most weeks. With the windy conditions on the coast, combined with firm and running fairways, players are required to control the ball using skills that they aren’t normally required to utilise. They have to play the ball along the ground, shape shots from all trajectories and directions in the wind, as well as to have the strategic skills to play for the unpredictable bounces. It’s a challenge that Mickelson hasn’t quite been able to master consistently, however he is confident that he is learning how to adapt his game to links golf, and he strongly believes that playing at Castle Stuart will benefit that effort leading into The Open:
“I think that the last eight or nine years, I've started to play better golf in links-style, better golf in bad weather, better golf along the ground and I've gotten a lot better. But it is still a challenge for me and it's still not something that I grew up doing and it's still something that I'm trying to learn as I continue through my career. So I'm always cautiously optimistic. The Open Championship, it's one of my favourite events because it's one of the most challenging events for me. I'll have to get my game sharp and one of the things I've learned over the years, especially at Muirfield; that you need an element of luck relative to tee times and you need a bit of a break there, as well. You need to play well but you also need to have a good end of the tee times. I remember 2002, it looked like after Tiger had won the first two majors, the Masters and the U.S. Open and was only a shot or two back heading into the weekend, it looked like he was unstoppable and he got hit with some of the worst weather you could ever imagine. I still can't believe what a brutally difficult day that was, and it ended up costing him a shot at the Grand Slam. So you just need a little bit of luck to do well and to play well here.”
Mickelson certainly has The Open Championship in his sights, and believes that playing this week is ideal preparation. However, with just two players inside the top-25 in the world rankings, the field is weaker than it has been in the past, and that surprised the popular Californian:
“I think everybody has to find out what works for them to get ready for the big events, like next week's Open. That's in all of our minds. Not to take anything way from the Scottish Open; it's a wonderful event. Most guys are trying to figure out how to peak next week and play their best golf next week. When we moved the tournament from Loch Lomond to a links-style course here at Castle Stuart, I thought that enhanced this event and it enhanced the opportunity for players to play the week before and to get their games sharp for the British Open. That's what I feel works best for me but each player has to decide what works best for them.”
Mickelson has clearly decided that playing in his 11th Scottish Open works best for him, and it’s an approach that the defending Open champion Ernie Els is also hoping that will prove lucrative.
Els, who is a two-time winner of the Scottish Open, made his 17th appearance last year, before winning a second Claret Jug at Royal Lytham. The 43-year-old South African, who won his first Open title at Muirfield, is hoping to continue his impressive run of form in Inverness before his defence of The Open next week.
“Playing an Open the week after The Scottish Open is perfect preparation to play some kind of links form. Castle Stuart is a very new links course. I love it because it's not as tough as the week of The Open. I've been to Muirfield. I know we are not going to talk about it, but I've been there, and I just feel to see a bit of bounce in the ball going into an Open is what you want to see.”
Els, who won at Loch Lomond in 2000 and 2003, was surprised to see a weaker field than many would have hoped for this week:
“Yes, I am a little bit, because in all honesty, The Scottish Open goes back a long way. I think it's in a very great timeslot on the schedule. Going into The Open Championship, we play The Scottish Open; most of The Opens are played in Scotland in any case. It's just a great time for golf in Scotland, especially with Muirfield coming up. I would have thought more international players would have showed up here, especially just a drive down to Muirfield, which makes a lot of sense. But as the comments have been made, and some of the guys feel they don't get a real test; it's just quite remarkable. I would have loved to see a bigger field obviously but it is what it is and they have still got a great tournament. We have four that came over from the U.S. Phil loves it here and gives a lot of credibility to the tournament. A lot of Scots are here and the guys are playing really great golf, so we have a good field in any ways.”
The Scottish Open will once again provide a fantastic warm-up act to next week’s Open Championship. With the weather forecast promising, the stunning scenery surrounding Castle Stuart will be clear to see for golf fans worldwide. With a scoring tournament likely, there will be lots of birdies and excitement, with Mickelson and Els headlining the cast.
Castle Stuart has had a short history within the Scottish Open, but it has been a valuable three years. This week promises to be the ideal send-off.