Golf: Matthew and Moodie will miss Open

Scotland's top two players - Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie - will both be missing from the Ladies' Scottish Open at Archerfield from 18-20 August.

North Berwick's Matthew had already said that a trip to the United States clashed with the three-day tournament run under a Pro-am format, while Moodie stated: "I wasn't invited."

The only Scot to make the cut at last week's Ricoh Women's British Open, the Glasgow golfer did concede: "I suppose I could have entered. But I had already made arrangements to play at the LPGA's Safeway Classic in Oregon.

"But if they had invited me, then I probably would have played. I always like to support Scottish tournaments."

Moodie is currently the Scottish No.?2 behind Matthew, who became the first Scot to win a women's major when she claimed the title at Lytham last year.

While Matthew struggled to find sponsors during her year's reign as a major champion, Moodie, who is married to an American, does have major backers in Lexus cars and Franklin Templeton Investments.

"It maybe helps that I'm a chatty Kathy, I have verbal diarrhoea," joked the 37-year-old who has been on Tour for 13 years.

"But I'm also lucky because both sponsors have been with me for a long time.

"The trouble is most sponsors want to back the young up and coming players. The older you get, the more difficult it becomes."

Moodie and Matthew will both be competing in the AIB Irish Ladies' Open starting at Killeen Castle near Dublin on Friday.

Kathryn Imrie, the first Scot to win on the US-based LPGA Tour, Musselburgh's Vikki Laing and 18-year-old Cary Booth have entered the Scottish Open that is backed by Aberdeen Asset management and Event Scotland.