Keith Pelley: Genesis Scottish Open will aspire kids to be next Sandy Lyle or Colin Montgomerie

Keith Pelley, the CEO of the DP World Tour, is quietly confident that this year’s Genesis Scottish Open will convince the doubters about the circuit’s alliance with the PGA Tour due partly to the fact it will inspire young fans to be the “next Colin Montgomerie or Sandy Lyle”.

Being held for the fourth year in a row at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian in early July, the $8 million tournament will be a ground-breaking affair as it becomes the first DP World Tour event to be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour.

As part of a Strategic Alliance between the circuits, two events in the US - the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky and the Barracuda Championship in California - will also count towards both the DP World Tour Rankings in partnership with Rolex and FedEx Cup this year.

The fields for all three tournaments will be a mix of players from both tours, with Open champion Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth, who claimed his 13th PGA Tour title on Sunday, already confirmed for the Genesis Scottish Open and more big names to come.

“The field is going to be outstanding for the Genesis Scottish Open, which feels good to say,” said Pelley, speaking exclusively to The Scotsman about a new chapter for the event after a 10-year stint with Edinburgh-based abrdn as the title sponsor.

“It is phenomenal,” added the Canadian of getting Genesis - the Korean car company already backed the Genesis Invitational, a tournament hosted by Tiger Woods, on the PGA Tour - on board for the Rolex Series event. “It’s a momentous and historic occasion as the two tours align even closer, which only makes sense at a time when sports are globalising.

“For the PGA Tour to get involved as they have with us is a real benefit not only to the DP World Tour but to