The Carrick withdraws its support for Ladies Scottish Open

Jan 16 2009 by Laura McLachlan, Lennox Herald (main ed)

JUST a year on from it’s revival, the Ladies Scottish Open – held at The Carrick in 2007 and 2008 – is looking for a new home.

After an absence of 11 years, the De Vere-owned Loch Lomondside club resurrected the tournament from the graveyard of the Ladies European Tour.

However, just two years after bringing it back, The Carrick has withdrawn its support in favour of the PGA Cup – the club professionals’ version of the Ryder Cup.

Promoters WSM and Events-Scotland had committed funding to the event until 2018 on the back of Scotland’s successful bid to host the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles – but unless the tournament finds a home, and fast, it will have to be removed from the 2009 tour.

Carrick representative Clare Queen, who left for Australia on Monday for the start of the 2009 tour, is disappointed at the loss of the event – the highlight of her 2008 season on tour.

She said: “It’s disappointing to be honest. I was looking forward to coming back again this year and maybe even finishing higher than I did last year.

“Hopefully they find a venue for it next year, if not at The Carrick, then somewhere else in Scotland.”

In a joint statement, WSM and EventScotland pledged their support to finding an alternative venue.

A spokesperson said: “"EventScotland and WSM will continue to work hard to support this tournament and, if it does not take place in 2009, to reinstate the event in the future."

The loss of the tournament, sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management with a prize fund of 200,000, is a blow to the development of Scottish women's golf.