Paul Lawrie launches brand new Scottish pro golf tour

Paul Lawrie has once again demonstrated his commitment to the game at all levels in Scotland by launching a brand new, open access, developmental Scottish circuit.

The Tartan Pro Tour is preparing to launch over the coming weeks as coronavirus lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

The Scottish-based tour will comprise a series of six events to be played at some of the most prominent venues across the country throughout August and September.

The new venture is the brainchild of 1999 Open champion Lawrie and, announcing it through his Five Star Sports Management & Events company, the Aberdonian described himself as “incredibly excited” by it.

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“This period has been the strangest any of us have ever faced in our lifetimes and as professional sportspeople we are champing at the bit to get back competing,” said the 51-year-old. “The Tartan Pro Tour has come about partly because Covid has obliterated our normal schedules. 

“All of the pros I’ve had contact with throughout these past 12 weeks have no certainty that they’ll get a chance to play at all this season. I’ve been so impressed by the efforts of the European Tour to get the UK Swing of events to the stage it’s at but, for so many pros, the remainder of the year looks unclear.

“For the players on the smaller circuits, there’s little or nothing to set their sights on, sadly. And whilst there seem to be several smaller tours popping-up around the M25 corridor, it’s a long way for pros from north of the border to go without accommodation options and all the other considerations around air travel and so on.”

The Tartan Pro Tour events will be played over 36 holes across two days at some of the best courses and venues in the country. Each is open to both male and female professionals, with maximum field sizes of 72.

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The tour will provide an exciting platform for players at various stages of their careers, who normally compete at different levels, to come together to play for prize money, whilst preparing them for whatever lies ahead in the second half of 2020. With Challenge Tour invitations also on the table for the highest-placed on the Order of Merit and further incentives to be announced, it promises to be an action-packed series.

The circuit also has significant corporate backing.

“I want to personally thank everyone at Farmfoods, Gym Rental Company, Blue Group, Cloudcube, Paul Lawrie Golf Centre and The R&A who are collectively our Official Tour Partners,” added Lawrie. 

“A huge thanks also goes to the venues who have come on board to support Scottish golf professionals. They have all been so accommodating and helpful with making the dates work. The quality of these courses is incredible and it will be a real pleasure for us to get competitive golf at each of them.”

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The Tartan Pro Tour will be open to any professional golfer, male or female, with 100% of entry fees going into the prize funds which will be enhanced by corporate partners.

Appropriately, the Tour gets underway from August 5-6 at the scene of Lawrie’s Open victory, Carnoustie, where all health and safety precautions and measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the players and everyone involved, as with every Tartan Pro Tour event. 

Events will open for entry from July 13 via a new website (currently under construction), where full details of entry criteria, exemptions and terms and conditions will be available.

For more information, follow the Tartan Pro Tour on Twitter or Instagram.

TARTAN PRO TOUR SCHEDULE – 2020

The Carnoustie Challenge
August 5-6
Carnoustie Championship Course 

Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Par 3 Championship presented by Farmfoods
August 8-9
PLGC Devenick Course 

Royal Dornoch Masters presented by Gym Rental Company
September 7-8
Royal Dornoch Championship Course 

The Pollok Open presented by Blue Group
September 10-11
Pollok GC 

St Andrews Classic presented by Cloudcube
September 15-16
St Andrews Jubilee & New Courses 

Rowallan Castle Championship
September 23-24
Rowallan Castle