MACDONALD CARDRONA HOTEL GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB TO HOST THE SCOTTISH CHALLENGE 2007

28^th February 2007

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Macdonald Hotels and Resorts have signed a three year deal with the European Challenge Tour to be the host venue to the Scottish Challenge. The event this year will be played at Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Country Club, Peebles, from August 9-12, with a total prize fund of £200,000.

Designed by the world renowned golf course architect, Dave Thomas, and set against the backdrop of some of the Scottish Borders' most beautiful scenery, the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf and Country Club will pose a fitting test for one of the 2007 Challenge Tour's richest, and therefore, most important events.

Thomas' impressive portfolio includes world class venues such as The De Vere Belfry, which played host to four Ryder Cups, and the San Roque Club in South Spain, current venue for The European Tour Qualifying School - Final Stage, and more recently, the new Spey Valley Championship Golf Course in Aviemore for Macdonald Hotels & Resorts.

Ruaridh Macdonald, Marketing Director at Macdonald Hotels Ltd said: "In golfing terms, to be selected as a venue partner for such a well-respected event is huge and we are all really looking forward to the challenges it will bring. We are very proud of our course at Cardrona, and of the investment we have made as a group to our golfing venues across the UK. We strongly believe this will be an excellent platform from which to not only profile Macdonald Cardrona, but also the six other courses we operate in the UK."

Scotland's most successful golfer of recent times, and a Non-Executive Director of Macdonald Golf, Sandy Lyle welcomed the move to secure the staging of the event in Scotland for at least the next three years.

"The Challenge Tour event has proven to be so important in the development of golf in Scotland and I am confident it will help to inspire passion, drive and progression in the next generation of future champions," he said. "I am confident golfing fans, whether on the ground or following the coverage on TV, will thoroughly enjoy both the Challenge Tour experience and the stunning scenery found here at Cardona."

Last year's inaugural Scottish Challenge at Murcar Links Golf Club, Aberdeen, was won by Sam Walker, whose victory enabled him to claim one of the 20 European Tour cards available through the final Challenge Tour Rankings.

The Scottish Challenge, conceived as a direct result of Scotland's successful bid to host The 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, can only enhance the nation's hopes of producing more top players to join the likes of 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, Colin Montgomerie and the 2005 Challenge Tour Number One, Marc Warren on The European Tour.

Warren is a perfect example of what can be achieved on the Challenge Tour. The 25 year old Glaswegian won the Rankings in 2005 before going on to become The Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in his debut season on The 2006 European Tour after winning the Scandinavian Masters and then partnering Montgomerie to Scotland's second place finish at the WGC - Barbados World Cup.

David Williams, Chief Executive, EventScotland said: "We welcome the news that the Scottish Challenge is to be staged at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf and Country Club, and it is great news for the Borders region to be once again hosting a major professional golf tournament.

"Golf has a significant part to play in delivering Scotland's ambition to become one of the world's foremost events destinations by 2015, and that is why EventScotland attaches great importance on investing in golf events that will contribute to that ambition. With help from our investment this event will play a significant part in our commitment to support the full range of golf events across Scotland in the run up to hosting the Ryder Cup in 2014."

Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, said: "We are delighted to have secured a home for the Scottish Challenge for the next three seasons, and welcome the outstanding Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf and Country Club to the European Challenge Tour. Our thanks go to Bounce Sports Management for their involvement in securing this wonderful venue, and of course EventScotland for their invaluable support in offering the future stars of Scottish golf a superb opportunity to compete in a first class international event on their home soil."