With the Greenbrier Classic cancelled due to heavy flooding in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia this week, the focus of the golf world will be on this year’s edition of the Scottish Open. It was a smart move by the PGA Tour to cancel the event not just because the course wasn’t going to be 100% fit. It’s because the regions where the event would have taken place have more important things to think about these days.
Some of the top players in the world will make the trip to Iverness, Scotland and the Castle Stuart Golf Links for the final event before the Open Championship with Henrik Stenson, Branden Grace and Phil Mickelson among the biggest names set to compete this week.
Event Details
Event: Scottish Open
Category: European
Date: July 7-10
Location: Castle Stuart Golf Links, Inverness, Scotland
Mickelson actually beat Grace in a sudden death playoff the last time this event took place at the Castle Stuart Golf Links and then went on to win the Open at Muirfield the following week. Mickelson would love to repeat those performances again this year and it’s no surprise that he is among the betting favorites to win this week.
Past Five Winners
2015: Rickie Fowler -12
2014: Justin Rose -16
2013: Phil Mickelson -17 (Playoff)
2012: Jeev Milkha Singh -17 (Playoff)
2011: Luke Donald -19 (54 holes)
What To Know About The Course
The big hitters should have a substantial advantage at the Castle Stuart Golf Links. Driving Accuracy won’t be nearly as important and the numbers indicate that the winner will likely do an excellent job in terms of Greens In Regulation and Scrambling this week. Mickelson and Jeev Milka Singh both did an excellent job when they won at this course while Donald was excellent in terms of GIR when he won here back in 2011. This tournament should be a very low-scoring event filled with birdies and ultimately it could come down to consistency and which golfer capitalizes on his putting opportunities.
The Field
The last few winners at this tournament have each been quality golfers with Fowler the latest to win the Scottish Open, albeit at a different course. Fowler won’t compete at this year’s event but the field is still fairly stacked. Stenson is listed as the outright favorite according to the betting odds at +700 followed by Grace at +1100, Martin Kaymer at +1600 and Mickelson at +1800 odds. Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed and Rafael Cabrera Bello round out the betting favorites to win the Scottish Open with the 2012 winner Singh a substantial long shot at +60000 odds.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Branden Grace over Phil Mickelson
Mickelson has used the Scottish Open as his primer for the Open championship and while he has had some success here in the past his recent results have been very inconsistent. Mickelson has registered four top-30 finishes in his last six starts but only two of those were top-10 finishes and he also missed the cut at The Players Championship and the U.S. Open. Meanwhile, Grace has been a lot more consistent of late with four top-10 finishes in his last five starts to climb back in to the top-10 in the world rankings. Grace has developed a reputation as a top links player over the years and he should be a good pick to edge out Mickelson at decent value in the head-to-head sports betting matchup.
Top-Five Pick: Henrik Stenson
Stenson has turned it on over his last couple of starts on the European Tour with five straight top-10 finishes including a win at the BMW International Open. The calf injury that forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open certainly didn’t give him any problems at Larchenhof and he should be in fine form this week. Stenson has finished in the top-10 in both of his starts at this course and it won’t surprise anybody when he finishes in the top-five at the Scottish Open this week.
Top 10 Odds To Win The Scottish Open
Henrik Stenson +905
Branden Grace +1050
Martin Kaymer +1250
Phil Mickelson +1850
Shane Lowry +1850
Patrick Reed +2050
Rafael Cabrera Bello +2550
Andy Sullivan +2550
Chris Wood +2850
Joost Luiten +2850
