Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open

The ASI Scottish Open heads to The Renaissance for the first time this years tournament which is once again part of the Rolex Series.

The tournament has a brilliant field as the top players continue a run of links golf in preparation for The Open next week.

Notables

Rory McIlroy

Justin Thomas

Matt Kuchar

Rickie Fowler

Henrik Stenson

Matt Wallace

Eddie Pepperell

Kevin Kisner

Ian Poulter

Lee Westwood

Russell Knox

Martin Kaymer

Ernie Els

Jimmy Walker

Graeme McDowell

Stenson needs a couple of good weeks - here's to the next two!

Very much looking forward to this.

Never played It but know a few members who love it.

My favorite stretch of golf all season. Scottish Open, then Open Championship. I love links golf.

> @scott_Donald said:

> Very much looking forward to this.

>

> Never played It but know a few members who love it.

It's brilliant, not quite out and out links with some tree lined holes but the turf is just as you would expect it on any top links. I loved it when I got the chance to play it.

July has really become Euro-sports month. Women's World Cup final, Tour de France, Wimbledon, Irish Open, Scottish Open, Open Championship. My morning TV schedule is pretty full.

Anybody else find it odd that Rory plays the Scottish open and not the Irish open ?

I hope Graeme McDowell has a great open, would be a good story to see him there sunday in one of the last groups

> @bladehunter said:

> Anybody else find it odd that Rory plays the Scottish open and not the Irish open ?

All about Open Championship prep. I am guessing.

A little tough to get a course guide but I found one. A little like Lahinch, seems like the juciest holes are somewhere in the middle an the last holes are like transport back to the club house. But thats from some quick googling. Is it North Berwick Golf Club that is directly ajacent?

> @bladehunter said:

> Anybody else find it odd that Rory plays the Scottish open and not the Irish open ?

Ditto, on other response it's purely about playing the week before and on a links, albeit Renaissance is a modern links. I reckon if the Open had been at any other venue than Portrush he may have done something slightly different.

> @OldTomMorris said:

> > @bladehunter said:

> > Anybody else find it odd that Rory plays the Scottish open and not the Irish open ?

>

> Ditto, on other response it's purely about playing the week before and on a links, albeit Renaissance is a modern links. I reckon if the Open had been at any other venue than Portrush he may have done something slightly different.

Gotcha. Just curious. I’d feel obligated to play my home open. But I’m also not familiar with the politics at hand.

The field strength is almost exactly the same as last year.

2018: SoF 312/ first place points 48

2019: SoF 309/ first place points 48

> @Hankshank said:

> A little tough to get a course guide but I found one. A little like Lahinch, seems like the juciest holes are somewhere in the middle an the last holes are like transport back to the club house. But thats from some quick googling. Is it North Berwick Golf Club that is directly ajacent?

I played it 4 years ago and I believe it's right by Muirfield. After, we zipped a bit down the road and played Berwick for an awesome 36.

> @Hankshank said:

> A little tough to get a course guide but I found one. A little like Lahinch, seems like the juciest holes are somewhere in the middle an the last holes are like transport back to the club house. But thats from some quick googling. Is it North Berwick Golf Club that is directly ajacent?

Muirfield and Archerfield are adjacent, North Berwick is a bit further down the road. There was nothing about it that reminded me of Lahinch!

IMHO it's not great prep for Portrush in a like-for-like sense, think the guys who played the Irish Open and then tootle around Ireland on the way up to Portrush did it right.

It's firm no doubt, but the greens largely seemed to be propped up more than they will at Portrush. Be interesting to see how the pros take to it, they can find some really silly pins on those greens and it wasn't the widest course I've seen that's for sure.

> @bladehunter said:

> Anybody else find it odd that Rory plays the Scottish open and not the Irish open ?

I don't think Rory wanted to play 3 consecutive weeks. He tried to get the Irish Open and The Scottish Open to swap weeks on the calendar for this year only.

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/22612351/open-championship-rory-mcilroy-wants-irish-open-swap-places-scottish-open-2019

Had the switch been made Rory would have likely skipped the Scottish and played the Irish.

> @grm24 said:

> > @bladehunter said:

> > Anybody else find it odd that Rory plays the Scottish open and not the Irish open ?

>

> I don't think Rory wanted to play 3 consecutive weeks. He tried to get the Irish Open and The Scottish Open to swap weeks on the calendar for this year only.

>

> https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/22612351/open-championship-rory-mcilroy-wants-irish-open-swap-places-scottish-open-2019

>

> Had the switch been made Rory would have likely skipped the Scottish and played the Irish.

Well. That makes sense and explains it. Thanks. I suppose I too would want to play the week before and I can see that 3 weeks straight maybe a bad idea as well.

**Featured Groups**

13:10 McDowell / Bjerregaard/ Kuchar

13:20 Cabrera Bello / Poulter / Wallace

Looks to be very wet until Saturday, like last week need to keep the balls out if the rough......

Keen on Knox and Detry.

It's going to be really interesting to see how Robert MacIntyre gets on playing with Rory and Rickie. He has been going well so far this year but playing with those guys is a huge step up in class.

> @MattyO1984 said:

> It's going to be really interesting to see how Robert MacIntyre gets on playing with Rory and Rickie. He has been going well so far this year but playing with those guys is a huge step up in class.

When I saw that I almost wondered if he'd be cursing the organisers but he sounds ambitious to me so I guess he'll welcome the challenge. It might be a good introduction to playing with real elite players rather than finding himself suddenly on a Sunday paired with Rory.

PGA Tour players Si Woo Kim and CT Pan are in the field.

Will be there for the weekend. Looking forward to see the course... looks magnificent on pictures.

interesting with the rain forecasted,

Some great groups, should be some great golf in conditions a lot are not used to.

On a side note - friend is defending the Pro am today, he is also a member at Renaissance, wonder how he will get on.

Will be there tomorrow for the last day of my trip ...

Wish I could have made it this year

> @scott_Donald said:

> interesting with the rain forecasted,

>

> Some great groups, should be some great golf in conditions a lot are not used to.

>

> On a side note - friend is defending the Pro am today, he is also a member at Renaissance, wonder how he will get on.

Do you need to know a secret handshake to join the club or do you just need the cash?! Course is looking great though. Just wished there was more links golf shown on tv. Need more for my fix!

How did your friend get on?

Andy Sullivan in a group tied for the lead at -4.

Sullivan had his first top 10 in almost 6 months with a T2 last week at Lahinch.

> @Hankshank said:

> A little tough to get a course guide but I found one. A little like Lahinch, seems like the juciest holes are somewhere in the middle an the last holes are like transport back to the club house. But thats from some quick googling. Is it North Berwick Golf Club that is directly ajacent?

No Archerfield

> @Hankshank said:

> **_A little tough to get a course guide but I found one_**. A little like Lahinch, seems like the juciest holes are somewhere in the middle an the last holes are like transport back to the club house. But thats from some quick googling. Is it North Berwick Golf Club that is directly ajacent?

Definitely agree with you on that. When I got down to play there a couple of years ago, it wasn't even possible to have a course guide when you were on sight although the fore-caddie that we had meant that we didn't really need one.