Scotland will celebrate the return of international events in the coming two weeks with the staging of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open and the AIG Women’s Open, underlining the country’s commitment to women’s sport.
Both championships will be held as TV-only events behind closed doors at The Renaissance Club (pictured) in East Lothian and Royal Troon in Ayrshire respectively, but represent the first international events taking place in Scotland and the first tour-level women’s events anywhere in the UK since lockdown.
As key partners in both events, VisitScotland and EventScotland has worked alongside organisers and Scottish Government health advisers to ensure comprehensive and robust plans are in place to allow them to take place as safely as possible.
Paul Bush, director of events, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic did not discriminate on the basis of gender with events across the sporting calendar cancelled or postponed.
“But as some green shoots of recovery have started to appear, there is no doubt that finance and infrastructure associated with men’s sport has allowed it to plan its restart more quickly and with more immediate success than its female counterparts.
“The importance of these two golf events cannot be overstated. In Scotland, like many other countries, our events sector has been decimated so their return, albeit as made-for-TV only, will be a significant boost.
As well as showcasing our scenic coastlines to a global audience to support our vital golf tourism industry and inspire international visitors to come when the time is right, they have been crucial in identifying key factors and best practice for the phased return of events.”
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