One last tune-up for the 150th Open Championship awaits players as the biggest names in the game are set to partake in the Scottish Open event at The Renaissance Club this week. The Tom Doak design will hold the hosting duties for the fourth consecutive year, but this will be the first time it welcomes a mixed field as the Scottish Open has become a co-sanctioned event between the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
Located in North Berwick, Scotland, The Renaissance Club is often described as a faux links golf course. There are traditional features of links golf intertwined in the design, such as wide fairways, large, slow greens, pot bunkers throughout, but also some characteristics which mirror that of golf in the United States.
Because of this, The Renaissance Club makes for a nice stop on the playing schedule before competitors shift their attention to the Old Course at St. Andrews. Collin Morikawa will look to defend his crown as Champion Golfer of the Year next week but will first attempt to find the form which led him to raise the Claret Jug.
Morikawa arrived in Scotland last year having never played in the country, and even expressed some displeasure with the contact of his irons. Able to remedy the situation, the Scottish Open provided the two-time major winner the opportunity to assimilate to a lighter version of links golf. Others will hope to do the same, and possibly even complete the rare Scottish double which Phil Mickelson last achieved in 2013.
Let's take a closer look at this week's 2022 Scottish Open with odds via Caesars Sportsbook.
Event Information
Event: 2022 Genesis Scottish Open | Dates: July 7-10
Location: The Renaissance Club -- North Berwick, Scotland
Par: 70 | Yardage: 7,237 | Purse: $8,000,000
2022 Scottish Open field, odds
- Jon Rahm (11-1): The Spaniard returns to the top of the odds board in what will be his first start since a disappointing finish at the U.S. Open. Despite only entering the winner's circle once this season, Rahm's short game is quietly beginning to peak. He has now gained strokes putting in his last five events and around the green in four of five. The former world No. 1 finished solo seventh in his first stroll around The Renaissance Club last season, where at times he appeared lost on the putting surfaces. If the current trend prevails, Rahm could easily snag victory No. 2 of 2022.
- Justin Thomas (12-1): He has competed at The Renaissance Club twice, and both times has acquitted himself nicely. Capturing finishes of T9 in 2019 and T8 in 2021, Thomas should once again thrive in his return to Scotland. The 29-year-old is arguably one of the most creative players in the game, and this style of golf will suit his style of play. Long off the tee, precise with his irons and crafty with a wedge in hand, all signs point to Thomas being a factor.
- Scottie Scheffler (12-1)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (18-1): The U.S. Open champion has not seen competition since his breakthrough victory at The Country Club. Despite the layoff, Fitzpatrick should have no rust concerns as he has taken a liking to The Renaissance Club in the past. Coming up short in a playoff to Min Woo Lee last season, the Englishman has also notched finishes of T42 in 2020 and T14 in 2019. He has since added distance to his game, and that could be the factor which propels him to yet another title.
- Xander Schauffele (18-1)
- Patrick Cantlay (22-1)
- Cameron Smith (25-1)
- Collin Morikawa (25-1): A third-round 77 squashed his U.S. Open aspirations, but there were still plenty of positives to take from Morikawa's week in Boston. He gained strokes around the green and putting for the first time since the Masters, where he coincidentally also finished in fifth. The 25-year-old struggled in his Scottish Open debut last season and ultimately finished in a tie for 71st, but those hardships proved invaluable as they gave him the keys to success for his Open Championship victory the very next week.
- Sam Burns (28-1)
- Will Zalatoris (28-1): Now a three-time runner up in 2022, Zalatoris' first victory on the PGA Tour is getting larger in the rearview mirror. His short game has improved drastically, and perhaps links golf will be his cup of tea. The Wake Forest product finished in a tie for 26th in last year's Scottish Open, yet had to withdraw the following week due to an injury.
2022 Scottish Open picks
| Winner (28-1): Wide landing areas, large greens and creativity around the greens should allow Burns to contend in the Scottish Open. When the weather has lied down, this tournament, in particular, has turned into a putting contest in which he is more than equipped to compete. When not factoring in his major championship performances, Burns' last six results on the PGA Tour read: CUT-T4-WIN-CUT-2-WIN. Seen playing with Scheffler earlier in the week and a participant in the J.P. McManus Pro-Am in Ireland, there are no concerns of jet lag, travel issues or anything of that nature. | |
| Contender (30-1): Jordan Spieth and links golf go together like peanut butter and jelly. Something just clicks in his mindset when traveling across the pond, and this week should be no different. He missed the cut at the Travelers Championship in his last start but battled back in the second round and showed some promise. The putting woes of the spring appear to be a thing of the past, and the Texan has long been considered one of the best putters on large, undulating greens. He can get wayward off the tee every now and then, but if he can keep the ball on the map, I like him for the Scottish Open ... and maybe even the Open Championship. | |
| Sleeper (50-1): The Australian arrived at the Scottish Open last season off a fantastic triumph the week prior at the Irish Open. He recently finished in a tie for ninth in his defense effort and should continue his love affair with The Renaissance Club, which has seen him collect results of: T4-T4-T62. Herbert may be one of the most underrated scramblers in professional golf, so if his ball striking shows any signs of promise, I expect a finish similar to the past two seasons. | |
Who will win the Genesis Scottish Open, and which long shots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors and is up over $10,600 since the restart.
