A successful return to the Tartan Tour last year has ensured that professionals will again have the opportunity to enjoy match-play golf in 2002, thanks to one of Britain’s major fund management groups, Aberdeen Asset Management. The Aberdeen-based group already sponsors high profile sports, including the Boat Race, and last year’s Dunhill Links Champion Paul Lawrie.
This year, the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Match-Play Championship will be held at Deeside Golf Club, Bieldside, Aberdeen, between July 30th and August 3rd. Offering a substantial prize fund, the tournament is hoping to attract top European Tour players, particularly as the event has now been brought forward to qualify as a PGA Scottish Region Order of Merit event.
Sixty four players will take part in the 2002 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Match-Play Championship, after a qualifying tournament on Thursday July 11, 2002 at Downfield. A pro-am tournament will take place on Tuesday July 30, 2002.
Aberdeen Asset Management’s Chief Executive, Martin Gilbert said: “We are delighted to be involved in a second year of match-play in Scotland. By raising it to an Order of Merit event and bringing it to our home city we are really helping put the north east region on the golfing map. It also reinforces our association with Paul Lawrie as well as sports development in the north-east. The event last year was a great success at Meldrum House. Our decision to move the event to Deeside Golf Club has been made purely on the basis of location and availability.”
Peter Lloyd, PGA Scottish Region secretary, commented, “I’m absolutely delighted that with the Gleneagles Scottish Championship and now the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Match-Play Championship, we now have two £50,000 headline tournaments in the region The upgrading of this event to Order of Merit and Scottish Matchplay Championship status gives the tournament its rightful place in the golf calendar.
Aberdeen Asset Management manages over £36 billion of investment assets and has in excess of 650,000 UK customers.