The Roxburghe to Stage
Scottish Seniors Open

The ninth edition Scottish Seniors Open will take place at The Roxburghe Golf Course in the scenic Scottish Borders between 21 August and 2 September, it was announced today.

With a prize fund of �150,000, the Scottish Seniors Open is part of the expanding European Seniors Tour, which this season has shown a remarkable
54% increase in prize money from 2000.

Previous winners of this prestigious title include Tommy Horton, Neil Coles,
Brian Huggett, Scotland's own David Huish and most recently Noel Ratcliffe,
who captured the title last season on his way to becoming Number One in the
Seniors Order of Merit

Coles, Huish, Ratcliffe and another prominent Scot, Bernard Gallacher, are
among the expected competitors over the fine Dave Thomas lay-out, which
helped the Duke of Roxburghe fulfil his dream of constructing a course of the highest calibre capable of sustaining tournament golf. Channel 5, Sky Sports and the Golf Channel in the USA and Japan will televise the tournament.

The event has been secured as part of a commitment by Scotland's Ryder Cup
bid to bring world-class golfers to the Home of Golf and to host top class
international tournaments. The Scottish Executive and their private sector
partner, the Bank of Scotland, have committed a six figure sum to secure the
Scottish Seniors Open.

Sam Galbraith, Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture said, "The
Scottish Executive is committed to golf at all levels. Seniors golf is an important element of the game and our support for it is a component of Scotland's bid to host the 2009 Ryder Cup.

"The Scottish Seniors Open is one of a number of tournaments which are being
supported as part of the Ryder Cup bid. Others include the Scottish Open,
the Women's PGA Invitational and the Scottish PGA. The Scottish Seniors
Open will help to increase interest in the seniors game and will bring some
well-known faces to The Roxburghe. It will also bring additional revenue
and help to raise the profile of the area."

Gavin Masterton, Treasurer and Managing Director of Bank of Scotland added,
"By supporting an event such as the Scottish Seniors Open, the Bank of
Scotland is continuing to display its strong commitment to golf in Scotland
and its support of Scotland's 2009 Ryder Cup Bid. The Roxburghe is a
wonderful golf course and such a high-profile event will attract big crowds,
which, in turn, will benefit the local tourist economy."

The Roxburghe was completed in 1997 and makes use of mature woodland and
dramatic water hazards including the River Teviot. A Championship course,
The Roxburghe hosted The Roxburghe Challenge in 1997 and 2000 with players
of the stature of Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie as well as
Nick Faldo and Sergio Garcia.

The Roxburghe Hotel, which will play host to the Senior's tour, is one of
Scotland's finest country house hotels. The host of the tournament, The Duke
of Roxburghe said, "The popularity of Seniors Golf has boomed in recent
years and we are confident that a Scottish Seniors Open at The Roxburghe
will continue to enhance the standing, both of Seniors Golf and of Scotland
as a golfing destination.

"The Roxburghe Golf Course is a relatively new course by Scottish standards
but has already gained a reputation as one of Scotland's hidden gems. We are
delighted to have the opportunity of hosting the prestigious Scottish
Seniors Open this year."

The Scottish Seniors Open will be co-promoted by the European Tour and JA
Tonge, the event management company based in Southport. Andy Stubbs,
Managing Director of the European Seniors Tour said "The Scottish Seniors
Open has always been one of the most popular events on the European Seniors
Tour and, with our colleagues at the PGA, I am delighted that this year's
event will take place on a course of the quality and stature of the
Roxburghe.

"The past champions of the tournament read like a Who's Who of European
Seniors golf and include Tommy Horton, Antonio Garrido, Brian Huggett, John
Morgan, David Huish, Neil Coles and the leading money winner of the 2000
season, Noel Ratcliffe.

"The year 2001 will no doubt produce another notable winner and amongst the
contenders may well be a number of Scottish newcomers, Mike Miller, Russell
Weir, John Chillas and Willie Wilne, who all pass the magical 50 year mark
this year."

Sandy Jones, Chief Executive of the PGA, commented: "The announcement of The Roxburghe as venue for the Scottish Seniors Open is a most exciting
development in the history of this event. The Scottish Seniors Open has always been a most popular championship and with this new surge of enthusiasm and support, it can only give even more significance in the Seniors Tour calendar."

For more information contact

Hastings International - Lucinda Rivers/Dan Parr - 0131 623 1500,
lucinda@hastings.uk.com
For The Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course: Fiona Duff, Benchmark Media on 0131 652 3666