The DP World Tour arrives in Bonnie Scotland for this week's Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, East Lothian.
The 156 field with the top 65 including ties making the weekend will all be competing for a share of the $9M prize purse with the winner receiving the Scottish Open title & a cheque for $1.5M.
The Renaissance Club will be playing 7,237 yards long this week, it’s a par 70 Scottish links course where the key to success will definitely involve who can handle the conditions best .
Xander Schauffele returns to Scotland to defend the crown he won last year when tipped by The Caddy at 20/1. His winning scorecard read 273, -7.
The weather forecasts rain, rain & more rain with breezes peaking at around 20mph. Thursday may see a little ray of sunshine.
This event will be screened on Sky Sports Golf & Sky Sports Main Event with live coverage starting at 8 am on Thursday morning.
Xander Schauffele 14/1 EW PaddyPower 1-8 places
For my first & primary selection to win this week’s Scottish Open, I’m going to point you all in the direction of Xander Schauffele 14/1 EW PaddyPower 1-8 places.
What’s not to like about the defending champion regaining his throne in Scotland? I tipped Schauffele to win this event last year at 20/1 & the talented American duly obliged. Weather conditions weren’t the best last year either in North Berwick hence the -7 winning scorecard.
The year previous with better weather saw the winner Min Woo Lee go as low as -18. It will be all about who can handle the conditions best again in North Berwick this week where Xander Schauffele has already proven his credentials. Schauffele has no less than eleven Top 20 finishes in 2023 having played at only fifteen events. His worst finish outside the Top 20 was 39th so he hasn’t missed a cut all this year. Seven of those Top 20 finishes were inside the Top 10 with one being runner-up at the Wells Fargo Championship.
On the stats front, Schauffele is ranked 1st on the PGA Tour for Approaches 150-170 yards, 4th SG Approach the Green, 5th Scoring Average, 6th SG Putting & finally 6th for SG Total.
These are all stats inside the Top 10 on the PGA Tour amongst the world's golfing elite. Xander Schauffele will be licking his lips as he attempts to defend his crown & it could be another golden banquet on Sunday evening as he successfully defends his crown in style to become the King of Scotland again with another Scottish Open title.
Min Woo Lee 33/1 EW, William Hill
For my next best selection I’m going to single out another champion around here Min Woo Lee 33/1 EW, William Hill. Again just like Schauffele, this kid has the credentials required in East Lothian this week having won this event in 2021.
He blitzed his way around here at Sunday’s final round that year shooting 64 to earn himself a 3 way playoff which he won with a birdie on the first sudden-death hole. Last time out on UK shores at the British Masters Min Woo Lee didn’t get off to the best of starts probably due to jet lag but then got going over the weekend to eventually recover & finish inside the Top 20 in 15th place. He’s been over here enjoying himself & relaxing now so Jet Lag shouldn’t be an issue this time out.
The British Masters was his last time but previous to The Belfry he has another three Top 20 finishes at four attempts. The best of those was obviously T5th at the recent US Open where he was sublime at the Los Angeles Country Club.
T9th at the Travelers is also worthy of a mention as is 18th at the recent US PGA Championship at Oak Hill. I’m choosing both of the above-mentioned players this week in Scotland as who better to rely on than someone who’s done it all before?
If it’s not Xander Schauffele who’s crowned in Scotland this week then it could be the Aussie Min Woo Lee Oi Oi Oi.
Shane Lowry 33/1 EW PaddyPower 1-8 places
For my final pick at The Renaissance Club, it’s the Irishman Shane Lowry 33/1 EW PaddyPower 1-8 places. Lowry will relish the challenge & if he’s lurking around as I expect on Sunday then the windy conditions forecast will play right into Lowry’s game plan.
Arriving in Scotland fresh on the back of two Top 20 finishes which includes T20th at the US Open, Shane Lowry will arrive in the UK brimming with confidence for the next fortnight of Links Golf with the other being the final major of the year, the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. That’s the main reason why all the big guns are in Scotland this week in final preparation for The Open which Shane Lowry won when scooping the 148th edition at Royal Port Rush in 2019.
That’s not the only event Lowry has won on British shores, he also scooped the BMW PGA Championship title last year at Wentworth & across the water in his homeland he was victorious at The Irish Open at County Louth. The Irishman is 9th on the PGA Tour for Total Driving & 13th SG Approach to Green so if he can put those two together into good use this week then
Shane Lowry could be a multiple-winner in Scotland, England, & Ireland this coming Sunday afternoon.
Scottish Open Betting Tips
- Xander Schauffele 14/1 EW PaddyPower 1-8 places
- Min Woo Lee 33/1 EW, William Hill
- Shane Lowry 33/1 EW PaddyPower 1-8 places
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Managed to get on Victor Hovland @ 100/1 Friday morning at 10am when he was 3 Over Par….£4.60 EW with Top 5 Place..He’s currently sitting Tied 18th on 7 Under Par…Three behind 5th place.
Keeping my fingers crossed for a good final round from him.
4 holes to go,on Even Par for the day..going to call this as a loser…good run for my money though !!!!!!