The European Tour will shift to the Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Scotland for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open this week. This event has been played annually since 1986 and it’s now one of the tour’s richest events. The Scottish Open will once again precede the Open Championship, opposite the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic this week. This year the Scottish Open is the second leg of a three-week stretch of links golf on the European Tour after last week’s Irish Open at Portstewart. There will be a star-studded field on hand led by Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and the defending Scottish Open champion Alex Noren. Let’s take a closer look at this week’s event and handicap the betting odds.
Details
Event: Scottish Open
Category: European
Date: July 13-16
Location: Dundonald Links, South Ayrshire, Scotland
The last six editions of this tournament have employed the traditional links set-up and that will continue this year. However, it will mark the tournament’s first venture to the Dundonald Links in Ayrshire. While the course has been modernized since the turn of the century, there have been limited tournaments played at Dundonald. The course has hosted Senior Open qualifying in 2012, the Boys Amateur Championship in 2014 and the Ladies Scottish Open in 2016.
Past Five Winners
2016: Alexander Noren -14
2015: Rickie Fowler -12
2014: Justin Rose -16
2013: Phil Mickelson -17 (Playoff)
2012: Jeev Milkha Singh -17 (Playoff)
What To Know About The Course
Dundonald is a typical links course although not a traditional out-and-in links. Considering this will be the first time the venue is used to host a European Tour event it might be tricky to forecast what to expect this week. Links courses play relatively easily in benign conditions but the conditions will be important. The forecast is calling for heavy winds that will impact the overall play. There is also a chance that we see rain so make sure to factor the conditions in to your betting decisions.
The Field
Noren is the defending Scottish Open champion. However, the fact that this tournament will be played at a new venue takes away some of the perceived advantage of having won this tournament before. Noren is listed at +1600 odds to win outright this weekend so he won’t be the sports betting favorite. That title belongs to Fowler, who is listed at +800 odds to win. McIlroy is expected to be in the mix at +1000 odds, while Stenson is listed at +1400 odds. Patrick Reed, Matt Kuchar, Adam Scott and Branden Grace round out the sports betting favorites for this week’s tournament.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Henrik Stenson over Rory McIlroy
What is wrong with Rory? McIlroy missed the cut for the fourth time in five years in his homeland last week and he has really struggled overall this season. Meanwhile, Stenson is the best links player in the lineup and he has shown flashes of his immense potential of late. Stenson should have no problem edging out the struggling McIlroy in this week’s Scottish Open. On paper this looks like one of the better matchups on the board this week.
Top-Five Pick: Rickie Fowler
The Scottish Open is the perfect tune-up for links play at the Open Championship next week and no golfer has been better at this tournament than Fowler over the past few years. Fowler finished eighth in his debut at this event in 2014 and then he won it two years ago in 2015. Fowler didn’t defend his title at this tournament last year because he was participating in the Rio 2016 games but he should be in the mix at Dundonald again this year. Even if he doesn’t win there is a good chance that Fowler will finish in the top-five at this year’s Scottish Open.
Odds To Win The 2017 AAM Scottish Open
Rickie Fowler +705
Rory McIlroy +905
Henrik Stenson +1550
Alex Noren +1550
Patrick Reed +1850
Matt Kuchar +1850
Adam Scott +1850
Branden Grace +2550
Bernd Wiesberger +2850
Ross Fisher +3250
Peter Uihlein +3250
Andy Sullivan +3250
Rafa Cabrera Bello +3550
Tyrrell Hatton +4050
David Lingmerth +4550
Matthew Fitzpatrick +4550
Martin Kaymer +4550
Jason Dufner +4550
Martin Laird +5050
Chris Wood +6550
Ian Poulter +6550
Byeong Hun An +4550
Haotong Li +7050
Emiliano Grillo +7050
Graeme McDowell +7050
Anirban Lahiri +7550
Bradley Dredge +7550
Russell Knox +7550
Paul Dunne +7550
Ryan Fox +7550
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