Golf Tips: Best bets for Scottish Open and ISCO Championship

• Steve Rawlings previews Scottish Open and ISCO Championship

• Dave Tindall and Matt Cooper provide their best E/W bets

• Course info, first round leader, and outsiders to back at over 100/1101.00

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Scottish Open tips and predictions

The Punter's Preview: Defending champ MacIntyre a value bet

Steve Rawlings: "The defending champions, Robert MacIntyre opened at 33/1 with the Sportsbook yesterday and he's still a very fair price at anything around 30.0. Defending any title is tough but Macintyre returns to his homeland in great form after a quite brilliant US Open, where he traded at as short as 2.2 before finishing second, and a very fair performance in the Travelers the following week.

"MacIntyre finished only 17^th in Connecticut but he sat outside the top 50 after round one following his exploits at Oakmont and it would be surprising if he didn't contend here given how well he's suited to the venue. He hit a low of 1.14 here two years ago before taking the title 12 months ago and he's a bigger price to win here, at a course we know he loves, in familiar surroundings, than he is to win the Open next week.

"That doesn't make an awful lot of sense to me. I was more than happy to back him at 33/1 and he's still a great price at 30.0."

Each-way Picks: Back Morikawa to win at 22/1

Dave Tindall: "After not making an impression at the Renaissance Club on his first two visits, Morikawa was fourth last time after rounds of 65-66-66-69. The putter remains a worry but this week he may have found the perfect solution.

"A couple of weeks ago I bumped into Billy Foster in the pub (he lives a couple of miles away from me in West Yorkshire). Naturally, I asked him if he was going to caddie again anytime soon after his recent split with Matt Fitzpatrick. "I'm not done yet," was his response, suggesting something was brewing.

"And it's emerged that one of the game's greatest bagmen is teaming up with Morikawa. How long for we don't know but in the very short term what better man to read these links putting surfaces and give Morikawa some extra confidence on the greens.

"He's 22/1 in the 10 Places market which gives us some good each-way leeway but, make no mistake, I'm going for the win here by backing Morikawa."

First-Round Leader Tips: Back JT to set the pace at 55/1

Dave Tindall: "If asked about Justin Thomas' record on UK soil, you'd probably shrug and say 'nothing special'. That would largely be true but it's a very different story when it comes to the opening day. JT seems to love getting some Scottish air in his nostrils and the effect is immediate. As noted above, he set the pace here last year via a 9-under 61.

"But his fast starts don't end there. At this course he was also second after 18 holes in 2021 while his day one scores when the Open Championship visits Scotland are definitely worth checking out. Thomas was fourth after the opening lap at Troon in 2016, eighth following Thursday's action at Carnoustie in 2018 and third after R1 back at Troon last year.

"His scorecards have had real extremes this season but focusing on the good stuff, in Thomas' latest five tournaments he was the first-round leader at The Heritage thanks to a 61 while scores of 67-63 secured the halfway lead in the Travelers Championship last time. Back Thomas, who starts at 08.17, at 55/1 (1/4, 5 Places)."

Find Me a 100 Winner: Back under the radar Harman at 109/1

Steve Rawlings: "Clearly a lover of links golf, Brian Harman finished 12^th at the Renaissance Course one week before he trotted up at Hoylake by six strokes and he only finished outside the places after a poor final round. With a round to go, Harman had sat tied for third and just two strokes behind the eventual winner, Rory McIlroy, before a 74 on Sunday saw him slip down into a tie for 12^th.

"He finished only 21^st 12 months ago but with all the media attention preceding his unsuccessful title defence (finished 60^th at Troon the following week), that was a decent enough effort under the circumstances.

"The 38-year-old arrives in Scotland much more under the radar this year, although he arrives in fair form. Harman won the Texas Open in impressive fashion back in April and he was eighth at the Travelers Championship last time out."

Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.0 and 12 Us @ 2.0

Course and form stats

Andy Swales: "The Renaissance Club covers a 300-acre site and overlooks the south bank of the Firth of Forth. It was opened in April 2008, since when its routing has changed, following the purchase of additional land nearby.

"It is a links course that has a little more vegetation than normal, as well as a scarcity of sand dunes. The venue's main defence is its heavily contoured putting surfaces, along with fluctuating coastal wind and tricky pot bunkers. There are no large water hazards on the course, although there is the occasional ditch...

"As for the American challenge, then how about Sam Burns 40/1 or Harris English 66/1? Both are in good form, with English currently ninth in this season's FedEx Cup standings. Although neither has previously posted top 10s at The Renaissance Club, they know the layout reasonably well."

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ISCO Championship tips and predictions

The Punter's Preview: Montgomery chanced at 89/1

Steve Rawlings: "Taylor Montgomery, who was once ranked at as high as 51^st in the world, hasn't been at the top of his game for a while and his best results in 2025 to date are his top 25 finish in the Cognizant Classic in March and a seventh placed finish on the Korn Ferry Tour in May. But there a couple of reasons to think he may contend here.

"Montgomery has been putting nicely, ranking highly for both Putting Average and Strokes Gained: Putting, and he's ranked inside the top 10 for Scrambling in two of his last three starts, including last week when he finished 31^st in the John Deere Classic.

"That doesn't look a terrific effort at first glance, but he sat tied for seventh at halfway and was just two off the lead before a 72 on Saturday saw him slide down the leaderboard. We have very little to go on but the ability to get it up and down when these smaller than average greens are missed could be key. In what really is a weak event, I thought Montgomery was a reasonable price at 90.0."

Course and form stats

Andy Swales: "Hurstbourne is a traditional parkland course, with water coming into play on six holes. This rural venue is located approximately 11 miles west of downtown Louisville. The tournament is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

"With just one member of the world's top 100 teeing-up in Kentucky, selecting a winner from this week's mediocre field is similar to searching for needles in haystacks! Those who stand out a little more than the rest include Michael Thorbjornsen 16/1, Beau Hossler 30/1 and Kevin Roy 18/1.

"Thorbjornsen is a young golfer from Ohio, who's currently enjoying his first full season on the PGA Tour. He's posted a number of top 10s during the first half of 2025 and is already a two-time career runner-up on the PGA Tour."

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Now read Open Championship 2025: Two picks from Dave Tindall in his early look at Royal Portrush

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