Gullane Set To Stage the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship
Gullane’s ‘Village of Golf’ is set to welcome the best amateur golfers in the country next week as Scottish Golf brings one of its flagship events to East Lothian.
The Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship makes a welcome return to Gullane Golf Club for the first time since 2010, with a field of 264 players aiming to follow in the footsteps of some of Scotland’s best-known golfers and etch their name on the historic trophy.
An impressive rollcall of past champions which includes Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie (1985), three-time European Tour winner Stephen Gallacher (1992) and current No.14 in the world Robert MacIntyre, who won at Muirfield the last time the Championship was held in East Lothian ten years ago.
Last year’s championship was won by Kilmacolm’s Alexander Farmer, and the University of Stirling student is bidding to become the first player to win back-to-back since Charlie Green in 1983, who won his third title at Gullane.
The championship entails two rounds of stroke play qualifying which will takes place on Gullane No.1 and No.2 on Tuesday and Wednesday, before the leading 64 players and ties battle it out over the match play stages, culminating in Saturday’s semi-finals and finals.
Gullane Golf Club has a rich history of hosting major professional and amateur events, staging more championships than any other East Lothian club after Muirfield. Recent events include the 2018 Scottish Men’s and Women’s Opens, while final qualifying for The Open Championship has taken place on eight occasions, over Gullane No.1 and No.2
Troon’s Michael Stewart, a former Walker Cup and Challenge Tour player, was the victor the last time Gullane staged the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship, with ex-European Tour player George Murray winning in 2004.
The Club’s own members have also achieved success in the Championship with Tom Dobson winning 100 years ago in 1925 and more recently, Oliver Mukherjee becoming the youngest ever winner of the Championship at the age of just 15 when he clinched the title at Glasgow Golf Club’s Gailes Links three years ago.
Mukherjee and twin brother Sam will be among the current crop of talented Gullane Golf Club youngsters looking to make local knowledge count next week, joined by fellow member Fraser Walters, who reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Boys Amateur Championship last week. Harry Bent and Harry O’Connor are two more home club hopefuls, while former Gullane club champions Thomas Simmonds and Sam Hall will also be looking to mount a challenge on home turf.
Gullane Golf Club captain Colin Steele is looking forward to an exciting week of top-class golf:
“It’s a real honour for the Club to be hosting another prestigious championship this year, adding to the long list of major events we have staged at Gullane throughout our history. Both Gullane No.1 and No.2 will be fantastic challenges for the players, and we’re looking forward to watching some of the country’s best amateur golfers test their games on our links.
Our Course Manager Paul Armour and his team have been working hard to prepare both courses in their immaculate condition and I’m sure the players will be relishing the opportunity to play here and earn their place in the match play stages. We wish them every success, and we hope they enjoy their time in our village of golf.”
The action gets underway at 0730 on Tuesday 29 July with the final teeing off on the afternoon of Saturday 2 August.
For more information on the championship including tee times for Rounds 1 and 2, click here.
To view a list of previous national and international championships staged at Gullane Golf Club, click here.