Scottish golf has received "a second prize-money boost in four days," raising the combined purses in the men’s and women’s national Opens next year to £6.8M ($8.4M) -- an increase of just under £3M ($3.7M), according to Martin Dempster of the SCOTSMAN. Hot "on the heels of" the men’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open seeing its purse go up by £2.1M ($2.6M) to £5.6M ($6.9M) as a result of it being included in the European Tour’s new Rolex Series, the women’s equivalent has now been handed a "similar shot in the arm." Its prize fund is being tripled from £428,000 ($528,580) to £1.2M ($1.5M) through "a ground-breaking co-sanctioning agreement" between the Ladies European Tour and the U.S.-based LPGA, making it "the event carrying the highest prize fund on the LET outside the majors." In another development for a tournament that has been played in the shadow of the men’s event in the past, "it will change from a pro-am format over 54 holes to a 72-hole stroke-play competition with a full field of 156 players." An initial three-year deal has been struck for the AAM Ladies Scottish Open by the LET and the LPGA in partnership with the title sponsor and VisitScotland, "underlining Scotland’s commitment to growing women’s golf as it looks towards hosting the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles" (THE SCOTSMAN, 11/18).
