No Trump card for Scottish Open

European Tour chief George O'Grady has criticised Barclays for the way they ended their association with the Scottish Open but ruled out American property mogul Donald Trump as a replacement to host the event.

The future of the Scottish Open was thrown into doubt last month when Barclays, who had financed the event since 2001, announced they were withdrawing sponsorship with immediate effect.

"It's disappointing Barclays have chosen not to go on, and taken a long time to tell us, in a sense," O'Grady told reporters.

"But I see this now as a wonderful opportunity to sell a tournament. So we're delighted to say we have quite a bit of interest, but then interest and certainty are two different things."

One of those interested is the business magnate and reality television personality Trump.

Trump contacted O'Grady about the possibility of moving the event from the popular Castle Stuart course to his Trump International Golf Links at Balmedie near Aberdeen in Scotland that opens to the public on July 1.

"Trump has rung me twice, once from Australia and once from New York, offering commiserations and saying if there's anything he can do to help," O'Grady told reporters.

"But there is no way the Trump course will be ready until 2014. So we're not going to go to his course, if we ever do, as it's too early."

O'Grady did give Trump optimism that his course could find it's way on to the European Tour schedule at a later date.

"I'm on record as saying it's spectacular and they're doing everything to make it good, but it's not going to be ready," O'Grady said of Trump's Balmedie course.

"He was saying if there was anything he could do, just ask.

"He's in love with his golf course and his business, and the time may come I'm certain when his course will host a big golf event of some sort one day, because he wants it and the venue warrants it."

Meanwhile, French Open officials have already held discussions with the tour over the possibility of moving their event into the slot reserved for the Scottish Open, which is usually held a week prior to the British Open.

However, O'Grady suggested he would prefer to play on a links course, such as Castle Stuart, the week prior to the sport's oldest major championship in order to attract a stronger field.

"There is enough of the world's top players who want to play the week before the Open and on a links golf course, plus that week has more chance of getting good American players than any other."

O'Grady indicated the tour was hopeful of securing a new sponsor for the Scottish Open before the end of the year and ahead of the release of the full 2012 Race to Dubai schedule, although he warned they could not wait forever.

"There is a cut-off date where we have to say, we can't wait on this anymore, so a tournament is going to have to go into that time slot. That's simply sound commercial principles."

The loss of Barclays is the second national Open in Europe to be struggling to secure financial backing after on-going concerns to find backers for the Irish Open.

However, if a new sponsor should be signed for the Scottish Open, O'Grady indicated there is no guarantee of the event returning to Castle Stuart.

"Initially, we have an agreement to go back to Castle Stuart but there are clauses which mean that we won't be breaking anything if we don't go back," O'Grady said.