Castle Stuart golf club boss aims for more big name competitions
A Castle Stuart boss is "dreaming" of attracting another major golf championship to the course, ahead of the final Scottish Open this summer.
Thousands of people will again descend on the area for the third and last year of a three-year contract and the competition will be broadcast on prime-time American television for the first time.
It will move to Aberdeen next year but Stuart McColm, the course’s general manager, told councillors that he was hopeful another prestigious event could be enticed in the future.
The city of Inverness area committee agreed to set aside £23,000 to fund a series of welcoming events to the Highland Capital for the three-day event, including welcome banners and entertainment.
More than 60,000 visitors attended the open last year and it was estimated £3.8 million poured into the Inverness economy.
The television coverage could reach more than 400 million households around the world this year.
Mr McColm said the course had found real favour with some of the sport’s top players including American Phil Mickelson who urged the open’s organiser, the European Tour, to host a World Golf Championship there.
"The future is absolutely 100 per cent up for grabs," said Mr McColm. "Hopefully there will be good news for us, whether it’s the Scottish Open or something else. We can all dream of a big prize."
The committee agreed to provide a grant from the Inverness Common Good Fund to erect welcome banners at key entry points into the city and host entertainment.
In July, more than 500 children will be invited to a mass "chipping challenge" at the course’s practice area with First Minister Alex Salmond.
The Aberdeen Asset Mangement-sponsored open will be broadcast on American television station NBC for the first time.
Council leader Drew Hendry said Castle Stuart had demonstrated it could host a "world class" event on Inverness’s doorstep and was delighted it would be shown on prime-time American television for the first time.
