Latest news with #StadiumHole
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
The moment Nico Echavarria hits stunning Scottish Open hole-in-one to bag swanky new car and VIP gift for lucky fan
The Colombian hero has secured a vehicle and fan could bag a dream holiday Nifty Nico Echavarria landed himself a spanking new car with a stunning hole in one at the Renaissance. The Colombian star hit the perfect shot to ace the par three Stadium Hole of the Genesis Scottish Open. As well as earning him an eagle for his card as he played alongside stars Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman, Echavarria scooped a brand-new Genesis GV60. The 30-year-old's magical shot also offered the opportunity for someone to win an all-expenses paid trip to Asia. The tournament sponsors arranged that the first fan to correctly predict the individual to bag the first hole in one of the week at the sixth would win a VIP experience and tickets to the Genesis Championship in Korea, including business class return flights and accommodation. Work immediately began to find if one had happened, but Echavarria himself is guaranteed the classy car and the Stadium Experience has been a huge success over the four days with punters and players lapping up the atmosphere. The par-three has been a must-go-to spot for fans at Renaissance with improvements to last year's set-up offering magical moments. As well as being fully enclosed with grandstands, screens and platforms, there has been a new children's area designed to take kids closer to their heroes. During the Wednesday pro-am, young fans were able to walk the hole with some of the stars of the event and even get the chance to hole a putt. Prior to the event, Genesis Brand Advisor Graeme Russell explained the key elements to the ideas as he said: 'Golf fans in Scotland and the UK are always very knowledgeable, very learned on the game, very respectful of the interaction with the players. 'So, we're really trying to create that family atmosphere and really welcome the next generation of golf fans. 'Someone who might be new to the game, or coming to a tournament for the first time, or follow their favourite player on social media, how can they engage and interact and feel part of the experience and atmosphere at the sixth hole. That's what we're really trying to do with the stadium seating which has improved this year, together with the new hospitality experiences. 'We'll have the Genesis public lounge and then the Kids' Viewing Zone and we're hopeful that, certainly on the pro-am days, the players will interact with the younger fans and create a real energy, a real buzz, a real sense of excitement on the tee and, hopefully, that the players will also respond well to that. 'I think you've got the location. It's in the middle of the front nine, it's close to the 18th, it's near the clubhouse, it's a natural gathering point, it's very easy to access for fans and there's a lot of other facilities and experiences around. 'The amphitheatre type effect starts at the tee and goes down both sides to the end of the hole, and we want fans of all ages with an interest in golf to be able to interact. 'I think introducing the next generation of golf fans is really important for the sport and having them able to witness their favourite golfers on a par-three where they can, ultimately, see the end result of the shot as well, compared to a par four or five where you may not know how the player finishes the hole. So, a lot of great stuff is going on there. 'We have a hole-in-one competition. Fans can sign up and, if the player that they select goes on to score a hole in one, then the player will win the Genesis GV60 car, and the fan will win a trip to the Genesis Championship in Korea, it's encouraging fans to have a stake in the action. 'I think you've seen comments from other tournaments, certainly at the Masters where the feedback is the fans and the patrons are part of the tournament experience for the players as well. 'They create the atmosphere, they create the setting, the backdrop that the players appreciate, . 'I think we've always felt that, if we look after the players, the caddies, and if they're playing well and enjoying the experience, that enjoyment translates to the fans and it comes back from the fans.'
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Fighter' Bob MacIntyre pushed on by fans to make Genesis Scottish Open cut
Defending champion makes it through to weekend on the mark after fearing 'it was curtains' Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Defending champion Bob MacIntyre dug deep to stay in the Genesis Scottish Open after fearing he was going to let down an army of home fans at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian. The Oban man was staring an early exit in the face on a day when he played 'absolutely terribly' after losing a ball off his drive at the 13th and running up a double-bogey 6 in the second round of the $9 million Rolex Series event. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Bob MacIntyre acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green on day two of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club |That left him sitting two shots outside the projected cut and thinking he'd be spending the weekend at home in Oban instead of playing in front of a sellout crowd for Saturday's third round. Showing the fighting qualities that Rory McIlroy had talked about earlier in the day, though, the 28-year-old birdied the par-3 14th then almost made a hole in one at the 17th, where he made another 2, before holing a testing four-foot par putt at the last to make it on the button as the cut fell at one under. 'A disappointing performance,' said MacIntyre of signing for a one-over 71 to sit ten shots off the lead, held by Chris Gotterup after the little-known American had equalled the course record with a 61. 'But in for the weekend, which was almost unthinkable from where I was and the way I was playing, and I guess growing up at Glencruitten on a short golf course with loads of par-3s helped me in the end.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He'd raised one of the biggest roars of the day earlier in the round when putting in from off the green for another 2 at the sixth - the 'Stadium Hole' - and the home fans were cheering loudly again later on, particularly at the 17th. 'Do you know, it's when you see so many people out there supporting me, pushing me on,' he said of how he'd been determined to avoid an early exit. Bob MacIntyre searches for his ball along with playing partners Scottie Scheffler and Adam Scott on the 13th hole at The Renaissance Club |He described his drive at the 13th as 'one of the worst shots I've hit all year', but it was more like it from the world No 14 when he made amends with his timely tee shot at the penultimate hole. 'There were so many different shots, but me and Mike [Burrow, his caddie] decided: Let's hit the shot that this demands to get it close. It was just as high a 6-iron as I can. I mean, I can't hit a 6-iron any higher. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'You can't see it land, so I'm just looking at the reaction of the crowd behind. I'm just looking at a group of guys in the white shirts and one of them put his hands on his head, so I thought, well, it's going to be there or thereabouts. I didn't know it was that close, but it's going to be a good one to see back.' The cut had moved to two under at one point during the day but, after the wind swing round to come from the east, it soon went back to one under and, much to MacIntyre's relief, stayed there.
Scotsman
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
2025 Genesis Scottish Open: Martin Dempster's daily divots
Double PGA Tour winner Ryan Fox, right, pictured with his playing partners at North Berwick on Monday | North Berwick Golf Club Stars making most of visit to East Lothian plus young Scot enjoys 'Stadium Hole' thrill Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Our golf correspondent digs out some stories behind the scenes at The Renaissance Club. Big names out early at North Berwick this year It's become part and parcel of Genesis Scottish Open week in East Lothian - and it started early this year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On Monday night, Ryan Fox and Daniel Berger, the world 29 and 31 respectively, turned up at North Berwick West Links and headed out for a game. Double PGA Tour winner Ryan Fox, right, pictured with his playing partners at North Berwick on Monday | North Berwick Golf Club Pulling his own clubs, Fox played in a group that included local member Gordon Milligan, who described the Kiwi as a 'great bloke'. American Berger, meanwhile, was out in another group as the duo followed in the footsteps of the likes of Max Homa, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth after they all did likewise over the past few years. Bill McColl played on the European Tour and enjoyed one of the highlights of his career at Muirfield | Getty Images Bill McColl's son on caddying duties Richie Ramsay's current caddie is the son of Scot who once picked up a prestigious prize in The Open next door at Muirfield. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Josh McColl picked up the Aberdonian's bag recently, having also caddied for 2019 Genesis Scottish Open winner Bernd Wiesberger at one point. His dad Bill was a European Tour player who teed up in seven majors and won the Tooting Bec Cup, awarded for the lowest round by a British player, for his 68 in the 1980 Open. Indeed, Josh wears the Tooting Bec Cup medal on a chain around his neck in memory of his dad, who died two years ago. Lara Douglas pictured playing in the Genesis Scottish Open Pro-Am at The Renaissance Club | Chris Young/Scottish Golf 'Stadium Hole' highlight for Scottish Golf youngster The stands may have been empty around the 'Stadium Hole' but it was still something to remember for 17-year-old Lara Douglas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Playing in the first of two pro-ams for the $9 million Rolex Series event, the Glenbervie player was close to making a hole-in-one at what is playing as the sixth hole at The Renaissance Club this week. With Matteo Manassero as the pro before Richie Ramsay took over on the back nine and fellow Scottish Golf players Louisa Hamilton and Melissa Keay also in the group, Douglas made a birdie 2 and her face told how pleasing that had been. Also taking part in Tuesday's pro-am were Luca Smith, Fraser Walters and Alexander Yuill, who played with Jordan Smith on the front nine then Grant Forrest on the back nine. Xander Schauffele spoke about shaving his legs in pre-Genesis Scottish Open press conference |Close shave for Xander Schauffele! It might have been a first in a golf media centre - a golfer talking about shaving his legs! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In fairness to 2022 winner and current Open champion Xander Schauffele, it was in relation to him teaming up with Theo Health, a Scottish sports startup specialising in smart clothing to support athletes around injury prevention and recovery. 'We were shaving bits of my leg off to put the sensor in,' said the American of being involved in the prototype stage. 'When you get hurt, it looks at how your leg is firing, how certain parts of your body are firing and you use the sensor to see if there's a matchup on the left and right.
