The five tournament winners at Loch Lomond Golf Club between 1996 and 2000 have all been accorded the status of Scottish Open champions retrospectively.
Lyle Anderson, President of Loch Lomond Golf Club and Ken Schofield, Executive Director of The European Tour, made the announcement today which means that Thomas Björn, Tom Lehman, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els will now be considered as Scottish Open winners.
The last Scottish Open winner was Ian Woosnam in 1996 at Carnoustie, prior to Loch Lomond filling the slot in The European Tour’s International Schedule. However the restoration of The Scottish Open title persuaded Anderson and Schofield to recognise five great champions retrospectively.
Anderson said: “I am very delighted to be part of Scottish golf history by helping to bring back The Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.
“We are extremely proud of this golf tournament and very, very proud of the five champions here in Thomas, Tom, Lee, Colin and Ernie. They are all great golfers, who have played wonderful golf in an outstanding competition. They fully deserve to be crowned Scottish Open champions.”
Schofield commented: “Lyle and I have had on-going discussions regarding his tournament at Loch Lomond and The Scottish Open for some time.
“Indeed, at Augusta last year, we felt that if we reached agreement for the return of The Scottish Open at Loch Lomond it would be most fitting to recognise Loch Lomond’s champions at The Scottish Open Championship.
“We are grateful to Lyle and his Associates that this has been made possible and we express our congratulations to all those great champions. Ian Woosnam, the champion in 1996, is very comfortable with the decision to honour Thomas, who won the Loch Lomond World Invitational in the same year as Ian won The Scottish Open at Carnoustie.”
