Masters Champion Phil Mickelson has confirmed his entry to The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond Golf Club from July 8-11.
The American left-hander once again proved himself one of golf's most gifted shot-makers during his unforgettable victory at Augusta National recently as he picked up the third Green Jacket, and fourth Major title, of his glittering career.
Mickelson, a winner of 44 titles around the world, will return to the banks of Loch Lomond hoping to improve upon his second place finish of 2007 when he lost out to Frenchman Grégory Havret in a sudden-death play-off.
"I would love to add The Barclays Scottish Open to my list of career wins: to be successful in Scotland, the home of golf, is something that every player would love to have on his resume and I am no different.
"I have been close to winning The Barclays Scottish Open in the past, and it would be great to go one better than in 2007 when I narrowly missed out on the trophy in a play-off."
Mickelson is the first of the game's elite players to commit to The Barclays Scottish Open, with other star names to be announced in the coming weeks. Event organisers are anticipating one of the strongest fields in the tournament's history, one week before The 150th Anniversary Open Championship at St Andrews.
There are few more exciting draws in golf than Mickelson, a point he proved emphatically at Augusta earlier this month. The 39 year old produced some mesmeric shot-making over the final two rounds, with his unbelievable eagle-eagle-birdie run on the Saturday afternoon helping him to a third round 67 that hauled him into contention and a final round showdown with Englishman Lee Westwood.
Mickelson followed up his Saturday heroics with a sterling , bogey free 67 in the final round, and his miraculous approach to the par five 13th – a six iron from the Augusta pine needles that flew through a gap between two trees and soared over Rae's Creek to just four feet – was the perfect summation of his powers as he captured his third Masters title.
