GLENEAGLES SCOTLAND AUGUST 28 Germany s Martin Kaymer playing a bunker shot whilst competing in the Johnnie Walker Classic PGA European Tour golf tournament at Gleneagles Perthshire Scotland 28 31 August 2008 The Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles is a European Tour golf tournament which is played at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, which has been one of the best known golf resorts in Scotland since the 1920s. The tournament was founded in 1998, and up to 2004 it was played over the Monarch's Course. In 2005, the name of the Jack Nicklaus designed course was changed to The PGA Centenary Course, which will be the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup. The tournament is one of three on the current European Tour schedule which are played in Scotland, "The Home of Golf", not counting The Open Championship itself, which is played in Scotland most years, but sometimes in England. The other two Scottish based European Tour events are the Scottish Open and the Dunhill Links Championship. The Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles had five different names in its first seven years, although it has actually only had one sponsor as both the Gleneagles Hotel and the Johnnie Walker brand are owned by Diageo. The event should not be confused with the Johnnie Walker Classic, which is a longer established golf tournament that is played in Asia and co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Australasian and Asian Tours. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 the prize fund was £1, 400, 000.
