Links season is upon us and it's a huge week at the Renaissance Club for the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open on both the PGA and DP World Tours.
Xander Schauffele defends the title as Scotland's national open heads to Renaissance for the fifth consecutive year. A total of 156 of the PGA and DP World Tour's finest players will grace the East Lothian links to try and win the Rolex Series title and get their games trending into next week's 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
Eight of the world's top 10 line up in the stacked field, including TaylorMade athletes World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and World No.3 Rory McIlroy.
Here we take a look at five TaylorMade staffers to look out for this week in Scotland...
Genesis Scottish Open Key Info
| Course | Renaissance Club, East Lothian, Scotland |
| Yardage/Par | 7,237 yards/Par 70 |
| Dates | 13-16 July, 2023 |
| Defending champion | Xander Schauffele (-7) |
5 Players To Watch At The Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler
- World Ranking: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 6
View Scottie Scheffler What's in the bag?
The World No.1 is playing phenomenal golf this year and he may even be disappointed with the fact that he has 'only' won two tournaments.
Scheffler defended the WM Phoenix Open and then won the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
He hasn't finished outside of the top-five since April and incredible he hasn't placed outside of the top 12 since October.
Rory McIlroy
- World Ranking: 3
- PGA Tour wins: 23
View Rory McIlroy What's in the bag?
McIlroy is back at the Scottish Open after skipping it last year, with the Northern Irishman hoping to get his game trending heading into Hoylake.
The four-time Major champion came so close to winning the US Open last month and then posted a T7 at the designated Travelers Championship, where he made his first ever hole-in-one.
His last five results read T7-T7-T9-2-T7. Will he get a '1' over the next two weeks? It's likely!
Rickie Fowler
- World Ranking: 21
- PGA Tour wins: 6
View Rickie Fowler What's in the bag?
What a year it has been for Rickie. He is back in the winner's circle for the first time since February 2019, shot 62 in the US Open and is up to 21st in the world. He's also now likely to feature for Team USA at the Ryder Cup in Rome, something that looked off the table at the end of 2022 when he was outside of the world's top 100.
The talented American looks close to his best and he's surely going to end the year either inside or very close to the world's top 10.
In terms of the Scottish Open this week, Fowler is among the favourites and rightly so. He won the 2015 Scottish Open at Gullane (less than a 10-minute drive away) and he has a superb Open record with three top-six finishes through the years including a T2nd at Royal Liverpool in 2014.
Tommy Fleetwood
- World Ranking: 22
- DP World Tour wins: 6
View Tommy Fleetwood What's in the bag?
Similarly to Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood has looked back to his best this year and he'll be planning for a great summer and a successful Ryder Cup appearance.
The Englishman's year so far has been highlighted by a couple of weeks, starting with his runner-up at the RBC Canadian Open where he lost out to a 72ft putt on the fourth playoff hole to home favourite Nick Taylor. The following week he became the first man in history to shoot multiple US Open final rounds of 63, with Fleetwood ending T5th at Los Angeles Country Club.
On the PGA Tour this year he has also posted a T3 at the Valspar Championship and a T5 at the Wells Fargo Championship.
He'll be highly fancied for the Open Championship so look out for him at the Renaissance Club this week.
Kurt Kitayama
- World Ranking: 24
- PGA Tour wins: 1
View Kurt Kitayama What's in the bag?
Kitayama has had a break-out 2023 that included his first ever PGA Tour win, and it was a big one. He was triumphant at Bay Hill in March to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational as well as $3.6m and a rise into the world's top 20 for the first time ever.
Kitayama has played on almost every elite men's tour around the world, including the DP World Tour where he won twice in his first 11 starts!
The big-hitting Californian was 2nd here at the Renaissance Club last year so will be hoping to go one better.
For more on all of TaylorMade's Tour Staff and the company's products, visit the TaylorMade Golf website
-
Investec South African Open Championship Prize Money Payout 2023Thriston Lawrence defends his title in Johannesburg as the new DP World Tour season continues
-
‘Jack Had The Better Career, Tiger Was More Dominant’ – Brandel Chamblee Gives Verdict On Golf’s GOAT Debate
The Golf Channel analyst offers his thoughts on who is the greatest of all time - Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods
-
Hero World Challenge Prize Money Payout 2023
Tiger Woods makes his long-awaited comeback at a tournament he hosts, as the field of 20 competes
-
DP World Tour Championship Prize Money Payout 2023
The stakes are high for a top-quality field as the DP World Tour season draws to a close in Dubai
-
WATCH: McIlroy Makes Remarkable Birdie To Take Share Of The Lead At BMW Championship
Rory McIlroy barely hit a fairway on day one at Olympia Fields but that didn't stop him opening up with a 65
-
Rory McIlroy Needs His Absolute 'A' Game To Win Majors - Harrington
Padraig Harrington explained that Rory McIlroy will need to have his overall game in place if he is to break his Major duck
-
McIlroy Battles Back For Level-Par Start At Royal Liverpool
Rory McIlroy's spectacular par save at the last meant that he would finish day one just five off the lead at The Open
-
Scottie Scheffler Turns To YouTube In Bid To Tame Hoylake
This is just Scottie Scheffler's third Open and his first visit to Royal Liverpool and the World No. 1 has gone online as part of his prep
-
'It's A Good First Step' - McIlroy Gives Update On Garcia Friendship
McIlroy and Garcia's relationship completely broke down following the inception of LIV Golf
-
MacIntyre Left 'Absolutely Gutted' But Near Miss In Scotland Boosts Ryder Cup Hopes
Robert MacIntyre was "gutted" to miss out on the Scottish Open, but his performance was a big boost to his Open and Ryder Cup chances
