Golf Returns to its Homeland

This week marks the beginning of professional golf's annual return to its native country, Scotland. The world's best will be teeing it up at a modern masterpiece, The Renaissance Club, just outside of Edinburgh for The Genesis Scottish Open.

The Renaissance Club is a newer course, built in 2 phases with the first being built in 2008 and the last being completed in 2011. Don't be fooled, despite being fairly new, The Renaissance Club has many classical features. This Tom Doak design pays homage to the roots of the game, and is a gorgeous links course with some oceanside holes that are truly breathtaking. Doak is a modern master of golf course course design and understands the beauty of designing a track that is perfectly integrated into its surrounding landscape, as if it always existed. Sometimes less is truly more, and the photos from @scotgolfcoast's Instagram account provide beautiful examples of the landscape we'll be seeing this week.

The Scottish Open sees a fair amount of star-power each year as the Pros who play out of the U.S. make their way across the pond to get acclimated to links golf in the week leading up to golf's 4th and arguably most loved major, The Open. That's a topic for later, for now let's talk about some favorites who could snag a win and major momentum this week.

If you want to lock a guy in for a top-10 finish, Scottie Scheffler is about as much of a lock as there could ever be. Despite battling some issues with the putter over the late part of the Spring, the reigning world #1 player is a threat every time he plays. He'll drive the hell out of the ball and throw darts onto greens. Unfortunately he can only win if the flat stick cooperates, and links golf heavily relies on creativity with the putter. There are a few other guys that I like more in this field, but I'll never write Scottie off.

There is a quartet of great players that are playing the next 2 weeks as a home game of sorts. Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton, and Shane Lowry are all natives of Ireland and the British Isles who grew up playing this style of golf. If anyone has an advantage playing conditions where unpredictable winds and dried out fairways are prevalent, it would be these guys. McIlroy and Fleetwood both had runner-up finishes in June, so it'd be safe to assume they're both in good form. Hatton tends to hang around the top of leader boards, so it isn't a stretch to think he could get hot and win. Lastly, Shane Lowry tends to win when we least expect it, and he's been quietly stacking top-20 finishes this season, so keep an eye on the big guy.

Now lets get fun, there are a couple fan favorites that I hope can contend or win, just to make for a compelling tournament. I'll lead off with none other than Rickie Fowler. He's in the middle of an incredible redemption arc, and why should it stop with a near miss at the U.S. Open and a win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The whole world wants to see him win. Now, I'd much rather see him get out of this week with a top-5 and go into The Open riding high, but I'll take a Rickie win wherever I can get it. Next, lets look at none other than Min Woo Lee aka "Spin Woo Lee" aka "Him Woo Lee". He's had top-10 finishes in his last 2 starts, The U.S. Open and the Travelers Championship. Even if he doesn't win he's a ton of fun to watch. If he comes out in a mock neck, the rest of the field better watch out. Lastly, we'll go with another young player, Tom Kim. He played well in this event last year, finishing 3rd overall. Now, he's returning to the Renaissance Club a more experienced player, and he could be a significant threat. I wish that I could say that with certainty, but it's sort of been feast or famine for Tom this year.

Regardless of who wins, The Renaissance Club will offer a great challenge as well as a fun viewing experience. Thanks to a +6 hour time difference (in the Central time zone) We'll have the opportunity to watch golf early in the morning this

week.