Gullane Golf Club was a sea of tartan as some of the world’s best golfers were joined by celebrities and golf fans to celebrate Tartan Wednesday at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open Pro-Am.
The Pro-Am participants and spectators donned their best tartan in aid of the tournament charities – My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Leuchie House. Man of the moment Scotland’s Russell Knox, who won his first Rolex Series title at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation last week, was amongst the stars who sported trousers in Doddie Weir’s own colourful blue and yellow tartan.
Doddie is one of rugby’s most recognisable personalities. The former Scotland and British Lions lock forward revealed in June 2017 that he was suffering from motor neurone disease. In November that year he and his Trustees launched the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to raise funds to aid research into the causes of motor neurone disease and investigate potential cures.
Leuchie House, a charity local to Gullane Golf Club, is Scotland’s only dedicated respite centre and offers caring respite breaks to people with long term neurological conditions, including motor neurone disease. By providing the care they need, Leuchie is able to support people with many different conditions to have fulfilling, revitalising breaks, while giving their carers time away from caring.
Leuchie House Ambassador and Scottish rugby legend Gavin Hastings – a former team mate of Doddie – was one of the Pro-Am participants decked out in in tartan trews.
There will be a range of fundraising activities during the week, including the Birdie Pledge, with title sponsors Aberdeen Standard Investments donating £5 per birdie and £10 per eagle scored throughout the course of the tournament.
Doddie Weir said: "It was splendid to see some of the best golfers in the game sporting the Doddie Tartan at Gullane - a tremendous day with wonderful support for the golf, the Foundation and Leuchie House. I think we might see some of these top pros wearing the tartan on the European Tour - they all looked fantastic!
"Wishing everyone a successful and enjoyable week at the Scottish Open - we are delighted to be a charity partner at this prestigious and well supported event."
Mairi O’Keefe, Leuchie House CEO said: “Tartan Wednesday was a fantastic way to kick off the Scottish Open and highlight the charitable side of the tournament. The Pros, the celebrities and the public all got behind it and the support we had from all sides for Leuchie House was tremendous. We’re looking forward to the next four days enormously and really appreciate this amazing opportunity to let people know that Leuchie House is there to support people with all kinds of long term conditions.”
The two charities joined the European Tour Foundation as Official Charity Partners of the Scottish Open earlier this year. The European Tour Foundation works with charities, players, governing bodies and partners to ensure a lasting legacy in the countries where the European Tour plays, and this new partnership will help the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open to make a difference by working with two charities that have a positive impact in the local area and beyond.
Fans can buy tickets from just £15 to see some of the world’s best golfers in Gullane this week - including official Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open hospitality packages - atwww.asiscottishopen.com
