The Scottish Open’s "geographical jigsaw is complete" after Dundonald Links in Ayrshire was confirmed as the host course next year, adding a venue in the west after visits already as part of the event being taken on "tour" to Castle Stuart in the north, Royal Aberdeen in the north-east and Gullane on the east coast, according to Martin Dempster of the SCOTSMAN. Aberdeen Asset Management CEO Martin Gilbert said, "Since becoming title sponsors in 2012, it has been our ambition to complete the geographical spread of the tournament." Due to being on the R&A’s rotation for the Open Championship, neither Royal Troon nor Turnberry "was ever really in the frame," while the likes of Gailes Links, Western Gailes and Kilmarnock (Barassie) -- all similar to Gullane -- could not "cope with the infrastructure of a modern-day European Tour event." From a playing perspective, "it was given the thumbs-up" by world No. 1 Lydia Ko and Norway’s Suzann Pettersen. From a spectator point of view, "it ticked boxes, too." It is a "great viewing course, for instance, while extra car parking space was quickly provided as fans spilled into the venue, which sits between Barassie and Irvine" (SCOTSMAN, 4/25).
