We are just one week away from the British Open, but looking at the field for this week’s Scottish Open, you’d be forgiven for thinking the festivities have already begun. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have teamed up to put on a co-sanctioned event in a bid to go toe-to-toe with LIV Golf. The result is an tournament that sees 14 of the top-15 best players in the world making an appearance at The Renaissance this week.
The Rennaisance Club plays host to The Scottish Open
Despite being a Links Course, there will be plenty of opportunities for scoring here, with reachable par 5-s and a litany of par 3’s. However, if the wind kicks up, expect the usual chaos that is typically associated with a course of this caliber.
Min Woo Lee won last year’s Scottish Open over Matt Fitzpatrick after going bogey-free on the Sunday and achieving a total score of -18. Aaron Rai has also had success here, beating Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff in 2020. In fact, all three of its most recent iterations have been decided by a playoff, and with such a strong field this week, we could see some really intense golf on Sunday.
The Scottish Open Favorites
DraftKings Sportsbook currently has John Rahm as the favorite (+1200) going into the event, with Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler sitting in behind at +1400. There is very little to separate the trio on paper, but Thomas and Scheffler rank better than Rahm when it comes to mid-range approach play and both have already had their taste of success this year.
U.S Open champ, Matt Fitzpatrick, and recent winner Xander Shcauffele are next on the list at +1800. Schauffele is heating up at the perfect time and ranks among the best in the field in most key metrics. Could he go 2-for-2 by winning here as well? Why not! He did come 10th here last year after all. If you don’t want to back a favorite but want to bet behind a player who has the ability to play with the best of them, either of these players would be viable options.
The Field
if there’s ever a player worth constantly going back to when he’s not cashing, it’s Jordan Spieth (+3000). The 28-year-old has struggled awfully with his putter this year, but that hasn’t stopped him from finishing inside the top-10 in 3 of his last 7. This is the equivalent of ‘buying the dip’ on a stock. If Spieth can just figure out the putter, he’s likely going to storm to victory. I’ll happily bet behind such a prolific links player.
Then there’s Tommy Lad. Tommy Fleetwood (+4500) is coming home to play here and in the British Open and he knows this course well. He lost to Woo-Lee in the playoff in 2020 and came 26th in 2021. He’s been quietly consistent this season.
It’s also hard to look past Max Homa, who has taken his game to a whole new level this year. He’s made 12 consecutive cuts, won an event this season, and looks poised to be in the mix on Sunday. He’s worth a play at +5000.
Wildcard pick
If you fancy a real lotto ticket play, look no further than Victor Perez (+8000). He came 14th at this course in 2020 and also made it into the U.S Open this year. He’s clearly in his element right now having also finished 3rd in the European Open, and winning the KLM Open. As far as DP World Tour players in this field go, you’ll struggle to find a better play.
Or, if you fancy a more respected name, Sebastian Munoz (+10000) has made 12 consecutive cuts. He may not win, but that top-20 potential is looking juicy with such long odds.
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire
