Scottish Open Tips: Niall Lyons Golf Betting Preview & Tee Times

The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, is one of the easier links tracks you'll see on the DPWT. Even in 2020 when the wind and rain blew an absolute hooley over the weekend Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood still managed 11 under par to fight it out in the playoff. In 2019, 19 players finished 17 under par or better. In 2021, 34 players made double figures under par.

Unless the weather plays a part this week scores will head towards the 20 under mark to compete. Those at the top of the tee to green stats for the week have dominated leaderboards here down the years and the last two winners McIlroy and Schauffele have topped that statistic for the week.

The ball striking part of that equation is most important and only if the weather gets poor should we see scrambling come to the fore.

There is little doubt the big names have dominated here with Min Woo Lee winning before McIlroy and Schauffele with Rai and Wiesberger before the Australian. Mickelson, Fowler and Rose are another three to have triumphed at this event in the last eleven years so ignore the big names at your peril.

Former Winners / Winning Score:

• 2023 - R.McIlroy (-15)
• 2022 - X.Schauffele (-7)
• 2021 - Min Woo Lee (-18)
• 2020 - A.Rai (-11)
• 2019 - B.Wiesberger (-22)

Scottish Open Tips

• 1.75pts each-way R.MacIntyre  55/1  (1/5 6) Unibet, Betmgm, Betuk, Livescore
• 3.5pts WIN L.Aberg  17/1 (Bet365 enhanced win market)
• 0.75pt each-way K.Nakajima  125/1  (1/5 8) General
• 0.75pt each-way V.Perez  150/1  (1/5 8) Skybet, WilliamHill, 888Sport

Rob MacIntyre at 55/1 (Eight Places)

The first name that jumped off the odds board was Robert MacIntyre and I'm very surprised you can get him at 50/1 here this week.

Bob should have had his career high here last year when he was so unfortunately pipped on the 72nd by the brilliance of Rory McIlroy, but things haven't worked out too bad. After that he had a successful Ryder Cup debut and then landed a fairytale victory in Canada just last month.

The Scot already has two top 10 in Open Championships and will arrive here much bigger in stature than what he did last year. I'd argue the venues since that victory haven't quite been to his liking although he did manage a top 20 at the Travelers.

Now back in Scotland MacIntyre will attract big crowds and more than likely will get a big draw also alongside McIlroy for the first two days. He is big enough to cope with that and it's the price alone that forces me to bet here as I didn't believe we'd see bigger than 33/1 following last year's effort.

1.75pts each-way R.MacIntyre  55/1  (1/5 6) Unibet, Betmgm, Betuk, Livescore

Ludvig Aberg at 17/1 

It is difficult to stray from the classy winners of this event down the years and although Aaron rai interested me at 50/1 I'm going to exclude him and side with a win only bet on Ludvig Aberg.

Aberg is winless in 2024 but I can't see that lasting until year end and at 16/1 looks fair price to land the win in Scotland this week. Aberg's high ball flight isn't perfect for links golf but with little in the way of wind forecast for the four days I'm happy that won't be a big issue.

Instead look to his ball striking this last few months which has been superb and he ranks 12th on the pgatour in strokes gained tee to green. That has usually been a big pointer towards winners and contenders here and Aberg has all the tools to make it count at the Renaissance.

Aberg is a general 16/1 shot for Troon next week and I see little reason why he shouldn't be a fair bit shorter for this, if we take next weeks price as a guarantee. Morikawa is 20/1 next week, whilst 14s for the Scottish and similar should apply to Aberg with Scheffler and Dechambeau taken out of the market.

Only a poor putting week at the Travelers stopped him in his tracks last time out and an upturn with that club should see him go close here.

3.5pts WIN L.Aberg  17/1 (Bet365 enhanced win market)

Keita Nakajima at 125/1 (Eight Places) 

Keita Nakajima has hit the ground running on the DPWT and although this is a huge task to come out on top of a field this strong he is young and bold enough to give a good account.

The Japanese star lost out on PGA Tour qualifying at the end of 2023 but what was their loss was the DPWT's gain and he kicked off the year in fine style with a top 5 in Ras. A runaway victory arrived in late March at the Indian Open where he blew the field apart for three days before limping home with a 73 to win by four shots.

Consistent results have followed with his only missed cut being at the PGA Championship and a test such as the Renaissance should suit his all round game. He is solid in all departments and could surprise many at triple figure odds. 

0.75pt each-way K.Nakajima  125/1  (1/5 8) General

Victor Perez at 150/1 (Eight Places)

Another outsider I'm prepared to chance is Victor Perez. The Frenchman already has a victory on links to his name courtesy of a Dunhill victory back in 2019. He has added to that since with wins in both 2022 and 2023 and he consistently produces efforts throughout the course of a season that can contend strong field events.

That was evident just last month when he finished 3rd in the Canadian Open and 12th at the Memorial. That effort at Muirfield Village was eye catching and although he finished 44th in another elite field last time out, he finished with a 65 at River Highlands ranking 13th on approach that day.

He has enough experience in the bank to cope with any dull weather across the week having lived in Scotland for a period and for my money has been slightly overlooked by the market. 

0.75pt each-way V.Perez  150/1  (1/5 8) Skybet, WilliamHill, 888Sport