going for it: cultural significance and a love for the game of golf. Over the course of a whirlwind visit, we stayed at the quirky and artistic Kimpton Hotel in Edinburgh, dined in fine establishments like Bonnie Badger in nearby Guilane, and toured the Johnnie Walker facility on Prince’s Street. It’s no stretch to suggest that scotch is a culturally significant drink in Scotland—it’s practically a religion. At Johnnie Walker, we learned about the history of the brand, sampled a wide variety of mixed drinks made with various blends and dined in the rooftop restaurant, with unmatched views of Edinburgh Castle. It was a memorable visit from start to finish, one that was worth the trip to Scotland all on its own. But there was more to experience. In 2016, Genesis began an association with the most Scottish of sports by sponsoring the men’s tour in South Korea. A year later, the carmaker became the title sponsor of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Open. Three years after that, it began an
association with Tiger Woods and the Open became the Genesis Invitational, one of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour. As of last year, the brand also became the title sponsor of the Scottish Open, which brings us back to Scotland. In addition to getting a shot at driving the Genesis GV60 and Electrified GV70 on a route from Edinburgh to Loch Loman and back, guests also had the chance to watch some top flight golf. The tournament ended with one of the great comebacks, as Rory McIlroy birdied the final two holes at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick to take the victory. After winning the tournament, McIlroy visited the Genesis Lounge and gave an extremely gracious speech. As he was approaching the final hole, the Northern Irish golfer told himself to embrace the moment: “You’re going out there to fulfill your boyhood dreams.” It was a magical end to the Genesis Scottish Open—and a fitting final day of my fifth visit to this magical land.
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