"If they're not playing at Castle Stuart then at least they shouldn't knock it. It makes the usual 'we all want to do our bit to support the European Tour' soundbites ring a little hollow."

Nick Rodger opens with a super lede about Andy Murray pandemonium before building to a point worth remembering the next time a European Tour player goes on and on about supporting the home tour: pipe down.

Especially if a player passed on the Scottish Open this week.

Everybody knows that the European Tour is facing major challenges in its traditional heartland. While cash-laden nations of the Middle East and the Far East are dangling huge carrots, some of the countries in the circuit's own backyard are wheezing on behind as the well of sponsorship and financial backing dries up. This is a tough period and the tour's leading lights should be standing up and lending their support.

If they're not playing at Castle Stuart then at least they shouldn't knock it. It makes the usual "we all want to do our bit to support the European Tour" soundbites ring a little hollow. With most of the stars now mainly based in the USA, where the riches on offer on the PGA Tour would embarrass a Sultan who'd just won the lottery, the last thing the hard-pressed, hard-working high command of the European Tour want to hear is downbeat assessments of one of the richest events on the schedule, given how difficult a task it is to attract and maintain significant investment.