Genesis Scottish Open
Purse: €7.7 million/$9 million (€1.24 million/$1.45 million to the winner).
Where: North Berwick, Scotland.
The course: The Renaissance Club – 7,282 yards, par 70 – is a Tom Doak design located on the same coastline as the famed Muirfield links and has proven a successful host course for the tournament – co-sanctioned on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour (where it is an elevated Rolex Series event) – for the past seven years. Robert MacIntyre is the defending champion while past winners include Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
The field: As you’d expect, there’s a stellar field playing the week before the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush with the leading five off the world rankings – Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa – competing. New US Open champion JJ Spaun is playing in the tournament for the first time since 2022.
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Quote: “It’s been a complete 180. I’ve been out here for eight, nine years now, and you see the same guys, but you kind of notice a little bit of change in tone or I guess more of like respect. You kind of earn some respect out here, especially from the top guys. They engage a little bit more with you. Not that they are different with other players but you kind of feel you’re at a different level now, winning a Major.” – JJ Spaun on the perceived change in attitude from his fellow players since his US Open win.
Irish in the field: Just the two, with Shane Lowry opting to skip the event as he prepares for a return to Portrush where he won the Claret Jug in 2019. Pádraig Harrington, playing for the first time since winning the US Senior Open, is in a three-ball with Corey Conners and Callum Hill (off the 10th at 7.55am), while Rory McIlroy is grouped with Schauffele and Viktor Hovland (off the 1st at 1.43pm).
Betting: Scheffler heads the market at a tight 4-1, with Rory McIlroy rated 8-1. Better value can be found with the 25-1 on defending champion Robert MacIntyre who has contended in each of the past two years and has strong form. Ryan Fox is worth an each-way look at 50s, as is Rasmus Hojgaard at 60-1.
On TV: Live on Sky Sports Golf from 8am.
Amundi Evian Championship
Purse: €6.8 million/$8 million (€1 million/$1.2 million to the winner).
Where: Evian-les-Bains, France.
The course: The Evian Championship Course – 6,527 yards, par 71 – is the centrepiece of the resort located on the shores of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. The finishing 18th is the shortest of the four par 5s on the course but, with water in play in a true risk/reward design, it has the potential for great drama. Last year, Japan’s Ayaka Furue closed with an eagle to claim her breakthrough Major title.
The field: This is the fourth of five Majors on the LPGA Tour and the field is packed with the world’s leading players, headed by Rolex number one Nelly Korda. This season’s Majors so far have been won by Mao Saigo (the Chevron Championship), Sweden’s Maja Stark (US Open) and Australia’s Minjee Lee (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship). Lottie Woad, winner of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open on the LET, is one of seven amateurs competing.
Quote: “I think the first step is being in position off the tee here. There is a few tighter holes and you don’t really want to be coming at these greens out of the rough. If you hit the fairway, you’re going to have some good opportunities.” – Irish Open champion Lottie Woad’s first impression of the course at the Evian.
Irish in the field: Leona Maguire is the lone Irish woman and is in a group alongside Woad and Perrine Delacour (off the 10th at 6.24am Irish time).
Betting: As usual, the top of the market is dominated by the world’s one and two with Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul both rated 9-1 shots while the 2021 champion Minjee Lee is priced at 16-1 which is probably the better value as a past champion and on the back of her WPGA win last month. An interesting each-way look is the 175-1 about Mirabel Ting who is making her professional debut. Ting was a contemporary of Woad’s at Florida State and the collegiate player of the year in the USA before making the decision to turn professional.
On TV: Live on Sky Sports+ (from 11am).
