The Scottish Open, which tees off Thursday at Gullane Golf Club outside Edinburgh, is one of the most uniquely situated tournaments on the European golfing calendar.
Perhaps no other tournament enjoys such a symbiotic relationship with the one that immediately follows it — for many golf players and fans, the Scottish Open is an annual bellwether of golfing form and playing conditions heading into the British Open a few days later.
Operating in the shadow of a major tournament could create an identity crisis for many tournaments, but for the Scottish Open organizers there is a certain pride that the national tournament of the home of golf should still occupy such a strategically relevant position.