TARTAN TOUR IS BUOYANT AGAIN,
CLOSING IN ON £1million PRIZE FUND
FROM THE SCOTTISH DAILY EXPRESS
By JOCK MacVICAR
The Tartan Tour is nudging ever closer to the magic £1million mark.
It won't happen this year but with the news that another big UK name is coming on board, it makes such a target a real possibility in the foreseeable future.
Palmer and Harvey are one of the biggest wholesale distributors in the country and the prize fund for their inaugural event at Dundonald will be £50,000.
That makes it among the richest ever tournaments on the rapidly expanding Scottish schedule and it will be followed in May be the PGA Scottish Championship on the King's Course at Gleneagles.
"This gets us off to a creacking start ot the season," said SPGA secretary Brian Mair (pictured above).
"Palmer and Harvey have committed for three years and I am really excited about it."
There is a unique format to the tournament. As well as the overall 54-hole stroke play event, there will be separate prize funds for the seniors, under-25s and club professionals which will be decided over 36 holes.
The PGA in Scotland is also running for the first time, a Senior Tour, with over-45s eligible to play in a minimum of six events.
It will be run in conjunction with Bernard Gallacher's Defibrillator Campaign.
"Making it 45 years gives our players the opportunity to keep their game ticking over competitively until they are eligible for the European Senior Tour at 50.
After years in the doldrums, the Tartan Tour is buoyant again in the most important year of all with the Ryder Cup at Glneagles in September.
"I reckon we will be disappoined if our total tour prize money in 2014 is shy of £700,000,"said Mair,
appointed to the post only last year.
"£1 million? There is some way to go yet and we are still looking for a couple of 36-hole events.
"There is nothing wrong with having aggressive targets but there are other aspects to look at as well.
"It's not the be-all and end-all. We'll see what the future brings."
SCOTT JAMIESON JOINS CHUBBY
CHANDLER STABLE
Scott Jamieson has switched management and signed up with Chubby Chandler at ISM.
Jamieson joins a stable that includes two Open champions in Darren Clarke and Louis Oosthuizen, former Masters winner Charl Sscwharterl and exciting young American Peter Uihlein.
Jamieson, a 30-year-old Glaswegian, had the most impressive season of his career in 2013
Scott, who studied bsiness and marketing at Augusta State University, won the Scottish boys stroke play championship at Lanark in 2001 before turning pro in 2006. His biggest win as a professional has beennthe Nelson Mandela Championship in Durban, South Africa early in 2013
"I am delighted to welcome Scott to the company," said ISM chief Chandler. "He is a superb addition to our very talented group of golfers.
Published by scottishgolfview.com