The Road to Mallorca returns following a one week break with the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A, taking place from July 31 – August 3 at SCHLOSS Roxburghe, Heiton by Kelso, Scotland. Here’s all you need to know…
Welcome to Roxburghe
The Road to Mallorca visits a new venue this week as SCHLOSS Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course, located under an hour from Edinburgh, makes its HotelPlanner Tour debut. The resort, regarded as one of the finest in the UK & Ireland, is home to the Dave Thomas-designed championship course which has previously hosted The Scottish Seniors Open, DP World Tour Qualifying School First Stage and numerous top amateur events.
Opened in 1997, the Roxburghe Championship Course boasts a par 72 layout where wide fairways follow the natural contours with numerous elevation changes throughout. This week’s course is also home to the signature 14th hole named ‘The Viaduct’, a par five that runs adjacent to The River Teviot and in view of the iconic viaduct which passes through the course.
SCHLOSS Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course is also home to one of Scotland’s best spas, a variety of hotel rooms, TopTracer driving range, and additional outdoor pursuits including fishing, archery and shooting.
Big name winners
Several notable golfers have tasted victory at the Scottish Challenge over the years, and none come bigger than five-time Major champion Brooks Koepka. Heading into the 2013 edition with two HotelPlanner Tour wins already to his name, Koepka stormed to a three shot victory at Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club to secure immediate promotion to the DP World Tour. Just 18 months later, the American would seal his maiden win on Golf’s Global Tour, which came at the 2014 Turkish Airlines Open.
Another recognisable winner of the Scottish Challenge is Englishman Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston. During the 2014 event, also hosted at Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club, the then 25-year-old carded a closing five under par round of 66 to finish three shots clear on 19 under par.
David Law, winner of the 2025 D+D REAL Czech Challenge, has also tasted victory in his native country, becoming the third Scot to win the event since it first appeared on the HotelPlanner Tour schedule back in 2006 when he triumphed in 2018.
HotelPlanner voucher
HotelPlanner were announced as Title Partner of the HotelPlanner Tour earlier this year, in a multi-year agreement which allows players to compete for a record prize fund this season. As well as a minimum prize fund of €300,000 at each European event, the winner of this week’s Farmfoods Scottish Challenge will receive £10,000 worth of HotelPlanner vouchers – the third of six events that will offer the reward during this year’s Road to Mallorca.
Road to Mallorca shake up
The top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings have received a fresh look with two new front-runners emerging in recent weeks. Austrian Max Steinlechner, fresh off sealing a maiden HotelPlanner Tour win on home soil at the Interwetten Open, dislodged Italian Renato Paratore at the top of the Rankings following a final round of 61 at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge, which saw him end the week in a tie for second, two shots back of Scotsman Law.
However, Steinlechner’s reign as Number One lasted just seven days after Englishman Joshua Berry continued his impressive recent form at the German Challenge powered by VcG. The 20-year-old, who sealed his maiden HotelPlanner Tour win back in March, finished in a tie for second at Wittelsbacher Golfclub, meaning he hit the summit. With both Berry and Steinlechner in this week’s field, further movement at the top looks likely.
