Event: United Kingdom

Barclays Scottish Open

When:	10 - 13 Jul 2008 (annual)
Where:	Loch Lomond Golf Club, Rossdhu House
Costs:	Various
Opening Hours:	Various

The Barclays Scottish Open is played at Loch Lomond. Many players see it as the perfect preparation for the British Open the following week and it attracts the leading players on the European Tour as well as a host of stars from the US. Grégory Havret of France was the winner in 2007.

Prior to the four main competition days there is a practice day and Pro-Am tournament.

The course itself, designed by former British Open champion Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, is one of the most beautiful in Britain and, as a test of golf, the players love it. So too, it seems, do the fans, with attendances of well over 100,000 every year.

The PGA European Tour and its American counterpart, the PGA Tour, are the richest and most celebrated golfing competitions in the world. While the lure of the dollar has enticed many players to the US, the European Tour remains an extremely lucrative alternative and now includes events as far afield as South Africa, Australia, Qatar, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

For the European stars on the Tour there is more at stake than pure financial reward: the top 10 players are automatically selected for the European Team to play against the US in the Ryder Cup. Save winning one of the majors, competing in this competition is the pinnacle of a golfer's career.