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Golf’s European Tour heads to Scotland and England as part of second UK swing

The 2020 European Tour golf season heads into the final straight with seven tournaments and a major championship left to play on the schedule.

There was no Open Championship this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the Tour’s reworked schedule has included four more events in the UK. 

After July and August tournaments in England and Wales, September’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Galgorm Castle Golf Club in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, saw the start of the Tour’s second UK swing in 2020. 

The next two events on the schedule – the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship – are part of the Rolex Series, while the Scottish Championship is one of three new tournaments this year. 

Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open takes place from 1-4 October at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick and a week later the BMW PGA Championship will be held at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey, England. 

The Tour then returns to Scotland for the Scottish Championship from 15-18 October at Fairmont St Andrews. 

John Keating, Accor’s area general manager luxury brands Scotland and Ireland, said staff at the St Andrews resort were “thrilled” to be hosting an event. 

“With so many iconic venues staging European Tour events in 2020 we are thrilled to be part of this,” he said. “The Torrance Course will provide a great test and challenge for the players so we are looking forward to seeing the performance, and hope the players enjoy the chance to be back in St Andrews.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biZpIAHhTb0

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Cyprus swing 

The Scottish Championship is not the only new addition to the Tour schedule. After Scotland the Tour heads to Brescia for the Italian Open, which is then followed by back-to-back events in Cyprus.

The new Cyprus Open and Cyprus Classic tournaments will be hosted at the Aphrodite Hills Resort in Paphos.

Andrew Chandler, CEO of tournament promoters ISM, said: “We’re delighted to be able to put on the Cyprus Open and the Cyprus Classic. It’s been a turbulent year for golf but that brings opportunity and this will be an exciting couple of weeks. 

“We’re looking forward to seeing the European Tour break new ground once again in Cyprus. Aphrodite Hills will be a great venue and I’m sure the tournaments will be a huge success and will hopefully become a part of the European Tour schedule for many years to come.”

After Cyprus, The Masters golf major takes place at Augusta National in the USA. The European Tour season will then conclude with its final event, the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

2020 sports calendar: major UK and global sporting events

European Tour 2020 season: remaining tournaments

Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open
What: European Tour men’s golf Rolex Series event 
When: 1-4 October 2020
Where: The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland 

BMW PGA Championship
What: European Tour men’s golf Rolex Series event 
When: 8-11 October 2020 
Where: Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England 

Scottish Championship 
What: European Tour men’s golf event 
When: 15-18 October 2020
Where: Fairmont St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland 

Italian Open
What: European Tour men’s golf event 
When: 22-25 October 2020
Where: Chervò Golf Club, San Vigilio di Pozzolengo, Brescia, Italy 

Cyprus Open
What: European Tour men’s golf event 
When: 29 October to 1 November 2020 
Where: Aphrodite Hills Resort, Paphos, Cyprus 

Cyprus Classic
What: European Tour men’s golf event 
When: 5-8 November 2020 
Where: Aphrodite Hills Resort, Paphos, Cyprus 

The Masters
What: men’s golf major tournament 
When: 12-15 November 2020
Where: Augusta National GC, Augusta, Georgia, USA 

DP World Tour Championship, Dubai
What: European Tour’s final event of the season 
When: 10-13 December 2020
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE 

Main image: The Renaissance Club in Scotland (European Tour/Twitter)

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