Weather forecast for Thursday: It's a sunny and mild day in North Berwick and the weather looks consistent across the golfing day. Winds are light and temperatures don't really get beyond the early 60s. Overall, then, there's no bias so we can pick freely, regardless of tee times.
Fowler to start fast
Rickie Fowler has a strong connection with the Scottish Open.
He won this event at Gullane in 2015 and has enjoyed three other top 10s.
Of course, the argument with him these days is 'that was then but this is now' and Fowler has really struggled over the last few years.
But while 72-hole consistency is still a battle, he's still capable of good things.
Whether this counts as any sort of guide or not is open to debate but his sixth place in a world-class 50-man field at the 36-hole JP McManus Pro Am earlier this week was surely a confidence booster.
Fowler opened with a 67 to sit second after 18 holes in that Irish event while he was eighth after the opening lap in May's Wells Fargo Championship thanks to a 66.
There's enough in his profile to suggest the 101100/1 for FRL leader here is worth a dabble. Fowler tees off at 12.45.
Put Luke on the list
Past editions of the Scottish Open have seen the less celebrated US raiders come to the fore.
Part of that trend was created by Luke List who finished third at Gullane in 2018. But, of more relevance to this preview, the American opened with a 63 there to grab a piece of the first-round lead.
List was also secured FRL honours with a 67 at Memorial just three starts ago while in November 2021 he also topped the Thursday leaderboard at the Houston Open.
This year's Farmers Insurance Open winner was tied 19th at the Travelers Championship last time so arrives in Scotland in decent nick.
Also tied 26th at Memorial, he's a morning starter at 08.55.
Rai can get rapid
Aaron Rai sits a healthy 31st in the PGA Tour's First-Round Scoring Average charts.
He's risen up those rankings with a string of fast starts, including back-to-back first-round 65s at the Mexico Open and Wells Fargo Championship that put him seventh and third respectively.
Also third after 18 holes of the Texas Open and fifth after R1 at the Honda Classic, Rai returned to these shores and did his quick-starting act at the Irish Open last week.
The Englishman posted a 66 and that left him sixth at close of play on day one.
Rai's other big plus point is that he took victory on this week's course, The Renaissance Club, in the 2020 edition of this event.
A couple of weeks later he opened with a 66 to sit third at the Scottish Championship.
Rai, a morning starter at 07.35, is 67.066/1.