Following a two-week stretch in the Midwest, the PGA Tour heads across the pond for the Genesis Scottish Open, the only co-sanctioned event between the PGA and DP World Tour. With the season’s fourth major just a week away, many of the world’s best players will be using this week as a natural tune-up to the Open Championship given the links-style feel of the Renaissance Club.

Since the co-sanctioning with the PGA Tour, Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy have won this event the past two years, and as is the case with all links golf courses, wind conditions dramatically affect the nature of the Renaissance Club. Schauffele won this event at seven under par, while McIlroy triumphed in calmer conditions at 15-under par. While the Tom Doak design is not a historic Scottish venue that has been around for hundreds of years, the course has proved a great host venue for tournament golf. Both Schauffele and McIlroy will return as former champions, and they will be joined by a strong crop of challengers that includes Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, among others. Let’s dive into the slate.

RELATED: Genesis Scottish Open odds 2024: Our questions for Rory McIlroy

$10,000 range Play: Xander Schauffele, $11,700:

Already a winner at this event, Xander Schauffele is a great fit at the Renaissance Club due to his power off the tee and elite lag putting skill. Links golf tends to expose weaknesses, and Xander remains one of the most well-rounded players in the game, and an incredibly safe option anytime he tees it up.

Fade: Collin Morikawa, $10,300:

Andy Lyons

While Collin Morikawa is playing some great golf at the moment, I am not in love with the course fit. The Renaissance Club is all about power off the tee and lag putting skill, and I far prefer Morikawa on pure iron tests that emphasize accuracy off the tee. Even the Open Championship that he won required a far more aerial attack than the task at hand this week, and in two appearances at the Renaissance Club, Morikawa has failed to finish inside the top 70.

Watch the below video for our favorite bets and players we’re fading for the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open:

$9,000 range Play: Viktor Hovland, $9,700:

Dylan Buell

With four top-15 finishes in four appearances at the Open Championship, Viktor Hovland always seems to raise his baseline on links golf courses. My theory on this is simple. The young Norwegian possesses a piercing ball-flight, and he is able to putt around the green far more than he needs to chip. Coming off a top-20 finish at the Travelers Championship where he gained over five strokes off the tee, Hovland is trending up at the perfect time.

Fade: Hideki Matsuyama, $9,400:

Similar to my lack of love for Morikawa, I just don’t love the course fit for Hideki Matsuyama this week. He is by no means a bomber off the tee, and he remains one of the shakier lag putters in this field. The former Masters champion’s links resume certainly leaves a lot to be desired, and he has an MC in his only appearance at the Renaissance Club.

$8,000 range Play: Wyndham Clark, $8,100:

Tracy Wilcox

The requisite skill-set I’m looking for this week is power off the tee, great putting and links experience. Clark remains one of the longest drivers in the field, he is an excellent putter, and he has recorded top-25 finishes in both of his appearances at the Renaissance Club. Coming off a top-10 finish at the Travelers Championship, I’m expecting another big week out of the former U.S. Open champion.

Fade: Sungjae Im, $8,500:

While Sungjae Im has been playing some solid golf at the moment, his links resume leaves a lot to be desired. Im has missed both of his cuts at the Renaissance Club, and similar to Morikawa and Matsuyama, I prefer him on shorter, more positional golf courses, and I still have concerns about how his game will translate to a different style of test.

More from Golf Digest local knowledge Is golf really Scottish? $7,000 range Play: Robert MacIntyre, $7,800:

Gregory Shamus

I always have interest in Robert MacIntyre on links golf courses, and I’m expecting another strong performance out of him at the Renaissance Club. Outside of his runner-up finish at the Doak design last year, MacIntyre has also recorded two other top-20s at this event, and he boasts two top-10s in four appearances at the Open Championship. His power off the tee, lag putting ability and experience on links-style courses will continue to pay dividends at the Scottish Open.

Fade: Si Woo Kim, $7,500:

Si Woo Kim has missed both of his cuts at the Renaissance Club, and I’m not sold that this is the best course fit for his skill-set. Si Woo Kim excels on accuracy-biased golf courses that emphasize wedge play, and the Renaissance Club is a power and putting track, two areas where the former Players champion ranks below field average.

Flier: Erik Van Rooyen, $7,000:

Erik Van Rooyen possesses the prototypical skill-set I am looking for this week in terms of his power off the tee and lag putting, and he is coming off a sixth-place finish at the Rocket Mortgage. Van Rooyen has also recorded a 14th and a sixth in four appearances at the Scottish Open, as well as two top-20s at the Open Championship. An underrated links performer in great form … sign me up.

More from Golf Digest Podcasts Whose handicap is less realistic: Donald Trump or Joe Biden? $6,000 range Play: Nicolai Hojgaard, $6,800:

Minas Panagiotakis

Nicolai Hojgaard possesses a ton of upside at this price tag, and he has already recorded a 6th-place finish at the Renaissance Club. Hojgaard remains one of the longer players in this field, and he certainly has the ability to get hot on the greens as well. Don’t be surprised if the Ryder Cupper contends once again at the Scottish Open.

More from Golf Digest Ranking British Open picks 2024: The 13 best bets to win at Royal Troon

Listen to Golf Digest’s weekly podcast, “The Loop”, where we interview the industry’s leading experts (and sometimes tour pros) to help you make your bets and pick your fantasy lineups. And be sure to subscribe to “The Loop” wherever you get your podcasts!

Andy Lack is a PGA Tour writer and podcaster from New York City who now resides in Los Angeles. He hosts Inside Golf, a twice weekly podcast focused on the PGA Tour, betting, daily fantasy, golf course architecture, and interviews, as part of the BlueWire podcast network. As well as contributing to Golf Digest, Andy is also a data analyst and writer for Run Pure Sports, where he covers PGA Tour betting and daily fantasy. He came to Golf Digest’s betting panel after previously writing for RickRunGood.com, the Score and GolfWRX. In his free time, Andy can likely be found on a golf course. Follow him on Twitter: @adplacksports

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com