The British Open Championship starts next week, but before thoughts turn to the Claret Jug, the Renaissance Club serves up a tantalizing links-golf hors d'oeuvre as the world's best warm up in the Scottish Open. World #1 Scottie Scheffler, now closing in on 6 months without a win following his loss in a Travelers Championship Monday playoff, is joined by 2023 Renaissance champion Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, who makes a first DP World Tour appearance since settling his LIV Golf fines. Scottie Scheffler bids to retain the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale next week, and he would dearly love to head to Southport on the back of a confidence-boosting Scottish Open win.
The world's best golfer has grown frustrated with his inability to get over the winning line, but if he can continue to put himself in position on Sunday, there's no doubt he'll win again soon, even if he is never going to be huge odds to do so. 4 trips to Renaissance have yielded form figures of 12-M-3-8, and he should be in the hunt again, but there's every possibility that, as was the case at the Travelers when Viktor Hovland took him down, a big-name European could get the better of him.
The state of Rory McIlroy's game is difficult to assess, while Jon Rahm will be under increased media scrutiny given that this DP World Tour tournament is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour. Let's break down my expert golf predictions for the Scottish Open this week.
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
The Scottish Open could go the way of an English raider, with Matt Fitzpatrick looking the best bet from those towards the front of the market. Links experience and a top-class short game tend to be the route to success at Renaissance and Fitzpatrick, a former Dunhill Links champion who is brilliant around the green, ticks the right boxes.
The English ace lost out to Min Woo Lee in a Scottish Open playoff at this venue in 2021, and he finished 6th the following year and was 4th last season. He has had a tremendous year, taking down Scheffler to win at Harbour Town for a 2nd time and claiming the Zurich Classic alongside brother Alex, and 2 of his last 4 starts included a runner-up finish in Canada and a 4th-placed effort at the Travelers.
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Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Hatton, a 3-time Dunhill Links champion, will arrive in Scotland fresher than most, having made just 2 starts in the last 7 weeks — holding off Rahm to win LIV Andalucia before finishing 7th in the US Open. He won't be under quite as much scrutiny as his Legion XIII teammate, and form figures of 14-18-24-6 from 4 Renaissance Scottish Opens, plus a 2nd-place finish at Castle Stuart in 2016, highlight his ability to contend for this title.
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Tom Kim first came to the attention of the wider golfing public in this tournament in 2022, finishing 3rd behind Xander Schauffele. He was 6th in 2023, 15th in 2024 and 17th last year despite struggling for form elsewhere. The South Korean was never a factor when well fancied at the John Deere Classic last week, but he could prove a superb longshot pick if he returns to the form that saw him finish 3rd at the US Open last month.
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Finally, at huge odds, it's worth taking a chance on resurgent Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, who won this title in 2019 in the first Scottish Open to be played at the Renaissance. Wiesberger has rediscovered top form on the DP World Tour this year, winning the China Open before subsequently finishing 4th at his home Open and 3rd in the BMW International Open last week. He will need to find more to contend in elite company, but at 325-1, it's worth taking a chance on him doing so.
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