This week on the PGA Tour is one of the rare occasions when there are actually two tournaments. With no disrespect to the Barbasol Championship, we will focus on the 51st playing of the Genesis Scottish Open. With a stacked field playing on a true Scottish links course—one week before The Open Championship—this stop is a far more appealing draw.
The 2023 GSO returns to Scotland’s Renaissance Club, a well-known track that plays host to many high-elevated golf events, especially on the DP. It’s a par 70, tipping out at just over 7200 yards. Great Britain, Scotland, and Ireland are filled with links-style courses like we will see this week. While penalizing rough or trees is hard to come, fairways are dotted with small pot bunkers and around greens. And the infamous long, high windswept fescue grasses span the course and come into play often. Scottish golf watching, plain and simple, is just wonderful entertainment!
We are coming off a 2/4 weekend at the John Deere Classic hitting Ludvig Aberg T4 & Denny McCarthy T6. We are hoping to cash in this week at the Genesis Open with an Outright Winner heading into The Open.
SammyStats10k Best Bets
This week I am targeting 5 golfers that I believe will have success here based on their recent play and ability to plot around a links-style venue.
Tommy Fleetwood
One golfer whose game has really been solid this year is Tommy Fleetwood. I like Tommy this week because of his recent strong performances and his ability to play these types of courses very well. TF has been a fairway machine and his irons are some of the best on Tour. I see plenty of value in Fleetwood, especially with a course that he’s very familiar with. Tommy’s been playing some very high level of golf and don’t see that going anywhere soon. Tommy Fleetwood Top 20 (+115) Outright Winner (+2100)
Viktor Hovland
What else is there to be said about Viktor Hovland? He’s as consistent as they come. Viktor has been an absolute force on the golf course really all year and I will continue to back him week in and week out. He’s a phenomenal ball striker and hitting fairways and greens is his specialty. I don’t see anything changing this week. I expect him to be in contention from the start. Viktor Hovland Top 20 (-105) Outright Winner (+1800)
Wyndham Clark
Another golfer we are backing this week is Wyndham Clark. Clark has won twice this year including a U.S. Open and has likely sling-shotted his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup squad. His tee-to-green performance has really been among the best around and I find his line this week to be criminally underrated. I see this as a perfect spot for Clark to succeed just a week before the Open. Wyndham Clark top 20 (+165) Outright Winner (+3400)
Ludvig Aberg
We are going back to Ludvig again this week after he cashed our top 20 last week. He’s been playing some really inspiring golf on the PGAT as a rookie this season and is essentially a shoe-in for the European Ryder Cup Team. Aberg has incredible length off the tee and his game is just very solid all around. Ludvig has only played in 5 PGAT events and has yet to miss a cut. Consistency is key and with the way he’s striking the ball, It’s only a matter of time until he gets his first win. Ludvig Aberg Top 20 (+210) Outright Winner (+5000)
Rickie Fowler
Lastly, we are backing a guy who’s just about the hottest golfer on the planet right now, Rickie Fowler. Rickie has completely turned his game around this year on the PGAT and has never looked back. He’s gained strokes off the field in every round he teed it up. Again, consistency is the name of the game. Nonetheless, Rickie Fowler Top 20 (-115) Outright Winner (+1800)