• Paul Lawrie created a unique European Tour record in the 2000 Championship. Starting round one from the par three tenth, the 1999 Open Champion recorded a hole-in-one, with the aid of a seven iron. As a result Lawrie became the only player in European Tour history to begin a tournament in this way.
• Defending champion, Paul Casey had the honour of becoming the first player to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles twice following his maiden European Tour triumph in 2001. That year Casey was an Affiliate Member and played on a sponsor’s invitation, but became a full Member four days later. Adam Scott, 12 months later, also claimed the trophy after gaining a late invitation into the event. To date, 19 players in European Tour history have won events via a sponsors invite.
• There will be 23 Scottish players competing at Gleneagles this week all trying to record the first home win in the tournament. Since The birth of The European Tour, six Scottish golfers have won official European Tour events in Scotland. They are: Sandy Lyle (1978 Smurfit Kappa European Open, at the Westin Turnberry Resort), Brian Barnes (1981 Tournament Players’ Championship, at Dalmahoy), Ken Brown (1984 Glasgow Open, at Haggs Castle), Colin Montgomerie (1999 The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond and the 2005 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns), Paul Lawrie (1999 Open Championship, at Carnoustie and 2001 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns) and Stephen Gallacher (2004 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns).
• Two other players in the field know what its like to win at Gleneagles. Barry Lane (1988 Scottish Open) and Peter O’Malley (1992 Scottish Open), both won over the Kings Course.
