Future of Women's Scottish Open safe despite being dropped from LPGA schedule

As first reported by US-based golf writer Beth Ann Nichols for Golfweek, the $2 million event was missing from a list shown to players by LPGA officials last month.

Nichols, who has her finger on the pulse in the women’s game, has now discovered that the prized pre-AIG Women’s Open slot that had been filled by the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open will be occupied instead next year by the PIF London Championship.

If that is true, it would be a huge blow to the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open after occupying that slot since 2017 through a co-sanctioning agreement between the LPGA and LET.

Mirroring the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open in the men’s game, the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open enabled the world’s top players to prepare for the AIG Women’s Open the following week.

Winners of the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open over the past ten years have included Stacy Lewis, who landed the title at The Renaissance Club in 2020, and Lottie Woad, who triumphed on her professional debut at Dundonald Links last year.

The past five editions have been held at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, where players openly admitted they enjoyed the on-site accommodation and top-class practice facilities.

In the build up to this year’s event, won by Korean Jenny Shin, the tournament received new backing worth £4.5 million from the Scottish Government for the next three years. That came off the back of £6.3m being pledged by the same source to the Genesis Scottish Open.

‘We are working on a solution and a date’

It now remains to be seen where the ISPS HANDA Scottish Women’s Open, which is run by IMG, will sit on the LET schedule going forward.

In a statement, tournament director Harry Owen said: "We are working on a solution and a date that will work for all our partners of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open.

“With their support, this tournament has become one of the players' favourite events on Tour and is considered the ideal preparation for the AIG Women's Open with seven of the world's top 10 players in the field this year."

The stellar cast was headed by world No 1 Nelly Korda and also included the likes of Woad and fellow English star Charley Hull.

Through the co-sanctioning, spots were always set aside for home players in the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, with Scottish No 1 Gemma Dryburgh and LET rookie Hannah Darling earning the chance to tee up this year.

A statement issued by the LET to The Scotsman read: We are still working on the 2027 LET schedule and we’re committed to strengthening all areas for players, partners and fans.

“It is certainly our intention that the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open remains on the LET schedule and we’re working with our partners at IMG to achieve that. We look forward to sharing our 2027 LET schedule later this year.”

A VisitScotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation and are working with IMG on a solution and a date that will work for all partners of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open.”

Thwe LPGA Tour also issued a statement to The Scotsman. It read: “We’re finalising our 2027 schedule, and we’re genuinely excited about where it’s headed. We’ve remained focused on three priorities: routing, courses, and purses.

“Those are the areas we’re committed to strengthening in 2027 and beyond. You’ll already see some of that in our new additions, including the Nanea Cup in Hawaii next March, our event in Hong Kong, and the return of our tournament in Corning.

“There are still some moving pieces - and a few more announcements in the weeks ahead - but we have great momentum, and we look forward to sharing the full 2027 schedule with everyone later this fall.”