Angus Ambassador Award Winners 2007

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The 2007 Angus Ambassador of the Year is the Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee whose dedication and vision ensured that the Carnoustie Championship Links is now recognised as one of the world's greatest golf courses.

This was epitomised in July when The Open returned to Carnoustie after only seven years and brought with it 154,000 visitors, global media coverage and acclaim from the top players and professionals alike on its outstanding condition. The recent announcement that it is to host the Seniors in 2010 just cements its place as a premier golfing destination for both professional and leisure golfers

The Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee received this ultimate accolade, sponsored by Blackadders Solicitors, at a glittering awards dinner on Friday 23 November, presented by Angus Ahead the county's area marketing campaign and presided over by Andrea Brymer of STV's North Tonight news programme.

Over 220 stars of the Angus' business, arts and tourism sectors joined the county's artists, community representatives and aspiring youth talent at the Carnoustie Golf Course Hotel to applaud those who are acting as outstanding ambassadors for the county.

"This awards event is like no other in Angus; Tayside or indeed Scotland. They recognise that it is the blend of business, community, cultural and youth achievement that collectively shapes our county's success and will build a more prosperous future," said Provost Ruth Leslie Melville, chair of the Angus Ahead Champions

One voice adding his own special congratulations at the event was this year's Open Champion Padraig Harrington.

" Congratulations to Carnoustie Golf Links for winning the Angus Ambassador of the Year. It's a great golf course and you thoroughly deserve it – some of the best greens and one of the toughest but fairest challenges out there."

The winner of the Ambassador of the Year is selected by the Angus Ahead Champions themselves - and this year's recipient has certainly flown the flag for Angus on both the national and international stage in a big way.

Since Carnoustie first hosted the Open in 1931 the course was matched only by the quality of its champions - Armour, Cotton, Hogan, Player and Watson in' 75. But it was to be another quarter of a century before the championship returned.

Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee was formed by local golf clubs in 1980 to reverse the course's decline in fortunes. Under their dedicated and creative stewardship it gradually regained its reputation - driven by the ambition of chairmen Dougal Thomson and Jock Calder, and the vision of green keeper John Philp.

In 1999 Carnoustie came back - bigger and better than before – but the committee continued to improve the course, and this endeavour earned it the return of The Open ahead of schedule and has made it one of the must-plays' for every golfer.