A serious title received’t be up for grabs — that may come per week later on the British Open — however the Genesis Scottish Open, which begins on Thursday on the Renaissance Membership in North Berwick, ought to generate a whole lot of consideration given the caliber of contenders enjoying.
Eight of the highest 10 gamers on this planet rankings, together with No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 3 Rory McIlroy, and No. 4 Patrick Cantlay, will probably be within the discipline. Trying to defend his crown will probably be No. 6 Xander Schauffele, who received by a stroke in 2022.
Listed below are 5 others to regulate.
Tommy Fleetwood
Overshadowed throughout final month’s final-round battle in the US Open at Los Angeles Nation Membership between the eventual champ, Wyndham Clark, and McIlroy was the seven-under 63 fired on Sunday by England’s Tommy Fleetwood, 32, who turned the primary participant to shoot that rating twice on the Open. His different 63 got here in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Membership in Southampton, Lengthy Island.
Nonetheless, Fleetwood, now ranked No. 22, failed on each events to win the trophy, and in additional than 100 begins has but to seize a event on the PGA Tour. He got here very shut the week earlier than the U.S. Open, dropping in a playoff to Nick Taylor of Canada on the RBC Canadian Open. In Could, he tied for fifth on the Wells Fargo Championship.
Fleetwood, a two-time member of Crew Europe within the Ryder Cup, has had his moments within the Scottish Open, ending second in 2020 and in a tie for fourth final 12 months.
Justin Thomas
Along with his tie for ninth on the Vacationers Championship final month, his first top-10 end since March, it appeared Thomas, one of many recreation’s high gamers, was again on monitor.
Or not.
Per week later, he missed the minimize on the Rocket Mortgage Basic in Detroit.
Thomas, who has dropped to No. 20 on this planet, struggled mightily within the second spherical of the U.S. Open. He hit simply 5 fairways on his solution to taking pictures an 11-over 81, lacking the minimize by 12 strokes.
“It’s fairly humiliating and embarrassing taking pictures scores like that at a golf course I actually, actually appreciated,” he stated.
Thomas, 30, who received the 2022 P.G.A. Championship, has additionally fared poorly on this 12 months’s different majors. He missed the minimize on the Masters and tied for sixty fifth within the P.G.A.
With the British Open per week away, this could be time for him to regain his outdated kind.
Rickie Fowler
Talking of outdated kind, together with his victory two weeks in the past on the Rocket Mortgage Basic, his first in 4 years, Fowler, 34, is formally again.
It was no shock given how nicely Fowler, one of many tour’s hottest gamers, was performing in current months. He has completed within the high 15 or higher in 9 of his 11 tournaments since mid-March.
Within the U.S. Open, he began off with a record-setting 62 and was tied for the lead after three rounds. Though he light within the remaining spherical with a 75 to tie for fifth, he performed nicely the subsequent week on the Vacationers Championship, tying for thirteenth. Within the third spherical, Fowler, who’s ranked No. 21 after beginning the 12 months at No. 103, flirted with a 59 earlier than taking pictures a 60. Per week later got here the triumph in Michigan.
So much was anticipated of Fowler, a star at Oklahoma State College, when he turned professional in 2009, and he didn’t disappoint. In 2014, he completed within the high 5 of every of the 4 majors. In 2015, he received the Gamers Championship.
Wyndham Clark
It wasn’t too way back when informal golf followers have been most likely saying to themselves: Wyndham who?
The U.S. Open modified that, giving Clark, ranked No. 11 on this planet, sudden fame.
The query is: Was his efficiency a fluke — different less-heralded gamers have claimed main championships solely to fade quickly afterward — or will Clark, 29, be a drive on the tour?
Clark picked up his first victory at this 12 months’s Wells Fargo Basic and has the sport to win extra tournaments, together with majors. He hits it a great distance, and the way he was capable of maintain off McIlroy down the stretch on the Open in Los Angeles was one thing to behold.
“It’s been a whirlwind few weeks and a tremendous season to this point, all coming collectively in L.A. just a few weeks in the past,” Clark stated. “I’m wanting ahead to protecting issues going over the summer season.”
Viktor Hovland
In three of the previous 4 main championships, Hovland, ranked No. 5, has been within the hunt. In the end, he’s sure to interrupt by.
Hovland, who could be the primary man from Norway to win a significant, was the co-leader with McIlroy heading into the ultimate spherical of final 12 months’s British Open. He faltered with a 74 to complete in a tie for fourth.
At this 12 months’s Masters, he opened with a 65 and, although he had his troubles the subsequent two rounds, was nonetheless solely three again going into the ultimate spherical. For the second straight main, nevertheless, he closed with a 74 to complete in a tie for seventh, failing to make a birdie till the thirteenth gap. A month later, he tied for second within the P.G.A. Championship, two behind the winner, Brooks Koepka.
In June, Hovland, 25, captured his fourth tour victory and largest but, the Memorial Match, in a playoff over Denny McCarthy. Hovland knocked in a 30-footer on 17 and saved par from 5 toes on 18 in regulation. Within the playoff, he made a seven-footer for the win.