The prospect of seeing the world's top players in action on the Old Course attracted a quarter of a million spectators to the Home of Golf. Over £32 million was spent by the fans, the players, and the organisers, with the value of the worldwide media exposure the event attracted put at £40 million. In all, 47 broadcasters covering 194 territories carried pictures of Tiger Woods' second victory at St Andrews all around the globe.
Commentng on the importance of golf to Scotland's tourism industry, former Ryder Cup captain, Bernard Gallacher, said these figures show 'how far we have come since the dark days of the 1970s, when we took our golfing heritage for granted... The creation of St Andrews Links Trust in 1974 to take over the running of the town's courses and overhaul the golf facilities, was the catalyst for Scottish golf being looked on as a serious tourist attraction and source of revenue.'