SO who do you fancy from the array of stars teeing it up at the Scottish Open? No fewer than 14 of the world’s top 15 have descended on the Renaissance Club.
The exception is Rory McIlory, who probably does not want to risk losing his driver the week before St Andrews – a boozed-up spectator whipped it out of his bag last year, and took a few practice swipes on the first tee!
But before you get too carried away with the task of trying to pick the best of the best, it is worth remembering that the big boys did not have it all their own way last year.
Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, and Justin Thomas were all here 12 months ago. But Rahm’s seventh place was the best any of them could manage.
It went to a three man play-off that saw world No 240 Min Woo Lee come out on top ahead of 100th ranked Thomas Detry and newly-crowned US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who was just outside the top twenty.
So it is worth looking beyond the obvious choices, especially as many of the top players will already have one eye on the 150th Open.
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Scottish Open tips
Hot shot: Xander Schauffele, 20-1
The world No 11 was ‘trending’ even before he claimed his first win since his gold medal effort at the Olympics with his emphatic victory at the Travelers Championship.
Schauffele never looked like being caught after opening with back-to-back 63s, and kept up the low scoring by shooting ten under to win the 36 hole JP McManus Pro-Am Championship earlier this week.
OK, that was just a knockabout charity event. But there were 14 of the top 15 there too, and they all looked like they were taking it pretty seriously.
Before his Travelers victory Schauffele had posted top 15 finishes at the USPGA and the US Open to show he was running into form. It is worth sticking with him while he’s hot.
Mid price: Sam Burns, 30-1.
His missed cut at the Travelers was a shock as only world No 1 Scottie Scheffler has proved more consistent than his young American rival this season.
Judging by previous evidence the 25 year old Louisiana golfer is likely to take that setback personally, and come out with all guns firing this week.
Burns has managed five top tens along with his three victories, climbing to ninth on the world rankings, a position that will surprise even a few diehard followers of the ranking system.
He had a taste of what the Renaissance Club is all about with a top twenty finish last year, and should do a lot better this time.
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Long shot: Haotong Li, 100-1
Li’s BMW International victory last time out could signal a ‘second coming’ for the Chinese star, who is still only 26.
He looked a potential superstar when he took down Rory McIlory to win the Dubai Desert Classic in 2018, a few months after finishing third to Jordan Spieth at the Open.
He was on the brink of breaking into the top 30 in the world after his Dubai win, but suddenly lost his way and plunged all the way down to 467th nine months ago.
But the swagger was back at the BMW, and his podium finish at the Open and a top five at the Dunhill Links suggests he definitely has the game to do well at this linksy venue.
And one for the Barbasol Championship – Hayden Buckley. 35-1.
Chris Gotterup did us a favour – in the each way market at least – after finishing fourth at 100-1 in the John Deere on Sunday, but it is still a shock to see him leading the market this time at 20-1.
He will win before long, but those odds look a bit too cramped.
Buckley is another youngster who won on the Korn Ferry Tour last year, and he followed up his eye-catching top 15 finish at the US Open with decent efforts at the Travels and the John Deere.
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