Catriona Matthew and Hinako Shibuno awarded invitations
July 21, 2020
Entries are closed for the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open taking place next month, Aug 13 – 16 at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, as professional women’s golf returns to Scotland for the first time since Europe’s remarkable triumph in the 2019 Solheim Cup last September.
The field for the 2020 event is even stronger than last year with three of the world’s top ten ranked players on the Rolex Rankings in the field – Japan’s Nasa Hataoka,(No.4) America’s Danielle Kang (No.5) and Australia’s Minjee Lee. (No.8) There are 22 players ranked within the World’s Top 50, seven of the top 10 players currently leading the LPGA Race to CME and all of the top 20 on the final 2019 LET Order of Merit.
Two of the four invitations have also been announced today with Hinako Shibuno, the AIG Women’s British Open’s defending Champion, making her debut in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open and her first trip to Scotland.
Shibuno, known as the ‘Smiling Cinderella’ in her homeland said: “I am very thankful to receive an invite to play in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open and to be given the opportunity to play on a British links course for the first time at The Renaissance Club. Last year’s experience at Woburn truly felt like I was part of a fairy-tale and now I am really looking forward to my next adventures in Scotland.”
Scotland’s Catriona Matthew is also the beneficiary of an invitation as a two-time winner of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open in 2011 and 2013 and a Women’s British Open winner in 2009. Most recently, Matthew famously captained the European Solheim Cup side to victory at Gleneagles last year and she will be surrounded by some familiar faces at The Renaissance Club with 16 players from the match also in the field, along with her Vice Captains, Dame Laura Davies as well as four-time Major winner Stacy Lewis, who was slated to play for the US side before an injury saw her move into a US Vice Captain position.
Local hero, Matthew, an Aberdeen Standard Investments ambassador commented: “It’s been a while since I have needed an invite to get into an event so I am really grateful to Aberdeen Standard Investments and VisitScotland. It’s been such a strange few months and it has definitely put golf into perspective but, at the same time, I am starting to get pretty excited about getting out and competing again and also seeing everyone again and welcoming them back to Scotland from a socially safe distance!”
This year’s tournament is going ahead as a made for TV event following close consultation and collaboration with the Scottish Government, Aberdeen Standard Investments, VisitScotland, the LPGA and the LET, fully adhering to internationally recognised COVID-19 protocol.
The decision to move forward with the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open was taken only once organisers and stakeholders could ensure delivery of an event with all relevant safeguarding and protocols in place. The tournament has a robust operational plan, which has been established with medical and health and safety specialists to make sure that all appropriate measures are in place that meet the high standards required by the Scottish Government as well as adhering to all WHO guidelines.
Fans will be able to watch the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open on Sky Sports and the Golf Channel, with enhanced content on its digital channels, www.ladiesscottishopen.com, @LadiesScottish #ASILSO #RuleTheLinks.
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