AN IRVINE golf course has missed out on the chance to host a prestigious tournament for the next two years.

It was revealed this week that the town’s Dundonald Links course was unsuccessful in its bid to host the Scottish Open in 2015 or 2016.

North Ayrshire Council offered its support to the bid to host the tournament by the Loch Lomond Golf Club with the potential of bringing huge tourism and economic payoff for the local area.

However, it was revealed by the organisers that in 2015 the Scottish Open will be hosted by East Lothian’s Gullane Golf Club with the tournament returning to Castle Stuart in Inverness the following year.

Depsite missing out on 2015 and 2016, there is still a chance that Dundonald Links could host the 2017 tournament and bring the competition to the West of Scotland.

The Scottish Open is one of the most hotly anticipated events on Golf’s European Tour calendar, held the week before the historic Open Championship, attracting some of the best players in the world.

Speaking to prior to the announcement, North Ayrshire Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Alan Hill, said: “This imaginative bid further promotes our area as an important gold and sporting destination.

“The Scottish Open is undoubtedly one of the biggest events on the European Tour schedule.

“It attracts a strong field and has a prominent position in the tour calendar, the week before the Open. It would be the first time we have hosted a sporting event of this scale in North Ayrshire.

“The event could bring us extensive benefits. Analysis of the 2011 Scottish Open at Castle Stuart which was cut to only three days because of bad weather brought 51,000 spectators to the area and provided a boost of over £3.8 million to the local economy.

“Given the much bigger catchment area of potential visitors could very well stand to attract 80,000 visitors over the four days play with an even bigger boost to the North Ayrshire economy.” Dundonald Links Golf Club hosts a number of events and in 2013 held the Tommy Burns Foundation Charity Golf Day, pictured.