Loch Lomond doubles prize money

Notah Begay was a challenger at Loch Lomond last year

The Scottish Open returns to the European Tour this season as one of the richest events on the circuit.

The event will take place at Loch Lomond from 12-15 July, replacing the Standard Life Loch Lomond, and will offer prize money of £2.2m.

Loch Lomond has hosted the final event of the tour before The Open since 1997, but prize money last year was half that on offer this time round.

The last Scottish Open was staged in 1996 at Carnoustie when Ian Woosnam took the first prize of £80,000.

This affiliation is a further step in making the tournament one of the premier events in world golf.

  Lyle Anderson
Loch Lomond owner

First prize this year will be £366,666.

Loch Lomond has agreed a minimum five-year deal with the European Tour and the International Management Group.

It is anticipated a title sponsor will become involved at some stage in the near future.

The Scottish Open will offer 15 qualification places for The Open the following week.

Eight of those will come from the tournament itself and seven others from a mini-Order of Merit running from the Volvo PGA Championship in May.

Previous winners of the Loch Lomond tournament are Thomas Bjorn, Tom Lehman, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els.

Club owner Lyle Anderson said: "Over the past five years our tournament has grown in stature, proving popular with the European, American and international players.

"This new affiliation with the European Tour and IMG is a further step in our goal of making the tournament one of the premier events in world golf."