Martin Laird's presence at Castle Stuart Golf Links from July 12-15 represents a huge boost to Scotland's chances of producing the first home winner of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open since Colin Montgomerie in 1999. Arizona-based Laird is the highest ranked Scot in the Official World Golf Ranking at Number 31 and the 29 year old is relishing a return to Castle Stuart and an attempt to win one of the titles he covets among the most important in the game.

Laird, who has been a global golf ambassador for Aberdeen Asset Management since the beginning of the year, may play most of his golf on the US PGA Tour, where he won the 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and the 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational, but he is a proud Scotsman who loves nothing more than returning to his homeland to perform in front his own people.

Gary Wolstenholme will be hoping to complete a Spanish double as he travels to the Benahavis Senior Masters in two weeks' time brim-full of confidence after his victory at the season-opening Mallorca Open Senior last week. The Englishman claimed his second professional win in Mallorca after a final round of 69 sealed a two shot victory over the chasing trio of Mike Harwood, Paul Wesselingh and Chris Williams at Pula Golf Club.

It was a perfect start to the year for the 51 year old after a superb first full season on the Senior Tour which earned him the Rookie of the Year award. Despite not adding to his first victory at the 2010 Casa Serena Open, the six-time Walker Cup player only missed one cut in 21 appearances, racking up nine top ten finishes.

Kim Bi-o conquered strong winds and an errant driver on Thursday to shoot a four-under par 68 and claim a one-shot lead after the first round of the SK Telecom Open at Pinx Golf Club on South Korea's holiday island of Jeju. The Korean 21-year-old, bidding for back-to-back OneAsia titles after claiming the GS Caltex Maekyung Open last week, made light work of blustery morning conditions with six birdies offset by two bogeys around the 7,361-yard (6,735-metre) course. A stroke behind were Korean amateur Kim Si-woo and Australian Adam Crawford, while 10 players shared fourth place a shot further back.

"The wind made it tough at the start and I wasn't driving very well but after about five holes it started to come together," said Kim Bi-o, who also won OneAsia's Nanshan China Masters last year. "My putting was pretty good though. I lined a few up and they just went in."

The Queen's Cup, one of Thailand's most popular golf tournaments, will return for its fourth edition at the stunning Santiburi Samui Country Club in Koh Samui from June 14 to 17, 2012. Bangkok Airways, the Sports Authority of Thailand, Thailand PGA and Asian Tour jointly announced Thailand's upcoming event in a press conference where a total prize fund of US$300,000 will be on offer to the region's top stars led by title holder Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand.

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Thailand PGA, the Queen's Cup is held in honour of Her Majesty, Queen Sirikit.