The Staysure PGA Seniors Championship drew record crowds at Trump International Golf Links, Scotland and following the huge success of this flagship event in August, Legends Tour is delighted to announce the tournament’s return to the same venue in 2024.
Taking place from August 1-4, 2024, a week after the Senior Open at Carnoustie, the PGA Seniors Championship will welcome a plethora of the game’s greatest players to the esteemed coastal course in Aberdeenshire – which has quickly garnered a reputation for being one of the world’s finest stretches of links-land in an unspoilt corner of Scotland’s north east coast.
Opened to critical acclaim in 2012, Dr Martin Hawtree’s breathtaking design belies its tender years. The par-72, 7,400-yard layout serves up two out-and-back loops of nine as its rolling fairways wend seamlessly through towering sand dunes, with a number of elevated teeing options that deliver magnificent views out to the North Sea.
Regularly rated as one of the UK’s best courses, with many distinct characteristics and features, no two holes are the same. In recent years, extensive bunker redevelopment has brought the layout up to an even higher standard to confirm its status as a modern-day links masterpiece.
As it did this year, where the in-form Peter Baker claimed a well-earned four-shot victory, Hawtree’s championship design will no doubt deliver a thorough examination for many of the world’s best senior golfers when they return in 2024, with a remit on shot-making and creativity to counter the layout’s numerous defences, not to mention the at-times fierce crosswinds.
The venue also features some of the best practice facilities in Europe, with a 22-acre driving range, extensive short-game area and 3,500 square metre putting green able to cater for such a major event and the demands of the professional player.
To affirm Trump International Golf Links’ long-term commitment to supporting The Legends Tour, it is also set to host the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship until 2026, highlighting the positive partnership the Tour has built with one of the leading and most iconic names in golf.
The news comes just weeks after the Legends Tour announced and detailed the success of its 2023 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, which was attended by Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization.
Played between August 23-27, the tournament saw record crowds follow the action with Ryder Cup heroes and major winners colliding, with Jose Maria Olazabal headlining alongside 1999 Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie and 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell. To add to the international flavour on show, American Fred Funk, an eight-time PGA Tour winner, and Shaun Micheel, who famously won the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, also took part.
Meanwhile, the searing popularity of the Legends Tour’s ‘playing experience’ packages – notably the Celebrity and Alliance Series events – saw over 180 amateurs play the course under tournament conditions alongside stars of the sport and entertainment world, as well as joining the professionals in the main tournament draw.
Away from the action on the course, the Legends Tour and the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship continued to reach new markets, with online reach generating well over 7.5million views across its digital estate, and with over three million views on the Tour’s YouTube channel leading to a growth of over 165,000 subscribers and followers to its social channels. During the week of the event, Trump Golf and The Trump Organization reached an average of 400,000 people between their two channels.
Ryan Howsam, co-owner of Legends Tour and Chairman of Staysure Group said: “To be returning to Trump International Golf Links for a second year, and with a long-term commitment to play our flagship event there for another three years, this is huge news for the Legends Tour as we continue to grow our brand”.
“The event in Aberdeenshire this year will live long in the memory. Not only did the venue live up to the expectations of providing such world-class facilities to host the tournament, but our ‘playing experiences’ proved an unprecedented success for amateurs wanting to live their dream of playing with the celebrities and professionals”.
Commenting on the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship returning to Trump International Golf Links in 2024, Eric Trump said: ‘’The Legend’s tournament at our sensational links along the North Sea coastline was a phenomenal success this year, and we look forward to hosting this great tournament for many more years to come.”
