Scottish Open Each-Way Tips: Links fan Spieth can sparkle

Main Bet: Jordan Spieth each-way @ 29.028/1

This week's Scottish Open creates history as the first co-sanctioned tournament between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour.

And with an Open at St Andrews next week, a perfect storm has been created.

The result: 14 of the world's top 15 are heading to The Renassiance Club in North Berwick. The field also includes all four current major champions.

It was a fairly tasty field last year and Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler all finished in the top 12 as they readied for the Open at Royal St George's.

However, none cracked the top six as Min Woo Lee won a three-man play-off against Thomas Detry and Matt Fitzpatrick, the newly-crowned US Open champion .

Lucas Herbert and Ian Poulter were just a shot back so, on that occasion, the PGA's elite had to slightly play second fiddle.

But with so many of them at The Renaissance Club this week, it must be more likely that class tells.

The one I like at the prices is Jordan Spieth at 28/1.

While Spieth has done a great job of peaking for the majors, he's also played some excellent golf in the weeks either side.

He showed that earlier this year when capturing the RBC Heritage, the post US Masters bash at Hilton Head.

Last year he won the week before the US Masters and hopefully the World No.12 can get the job done here with the battle for the Claret Jug starting next Thursday.

Spieth hasn't teed it up at this course, or indeed in this event, due to it previously clashing with the John Deere. But he's finished fourth (2015, St Andrews) and ninth (2019, Carnoustie) in two of his last three starts in Scotland and loves playing here.

The three-time major winner got some links golf under his belt with a round at Tralee Golf Club on Sunday, even finding time to neck a pint of Guinness during his round.

He then contested the 36-hole JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor but, bizarrely, was disqualifed after just 13 holes when failing to putt out at 14 on day one. Knowing his score wouldn't count for the team, he scooped up his ball, completely forgettting about the individual element. Whoops.

Perhaps we just gloss over that but there's also an angle that he feels a bit of an idiot and is extra determined to put on a show in Scotland.

Although not a true links, Spieth will enjoy the test provided by The Renaissance Club. He won his US Open at Chambers Bay (another course with a links feel) and generally his record by or near the coast is excellent.

He ranks 20th SG: Tee To Green this season and is high up in all its component parts: 29th Off The Tee, 36th Approach and 23rd Around The Green.

His putting stats have been unusually poor but he's done well on the slower greens over on these shores as shown by ranking in the top 15 for Putts Per Round in each of the last four Opens. He was second for Putting Average at Royal St George's last summer and 10th when he won at Royal Birkdale in 2017.

Ah, yes, the 2017 Open. As a Claret Jug winner, that gives him an extra pep in his step when he plays over here and I'm happy to take the 28/1 on a class act, whose most recent round on the PGA Tour was a 66 in the Travelers Championship.

Next Best: Keith Mitchell each-way @ 67.066/1

There may be a bit of buzz around Keith Mitchell next week given that he recently revealed an unexpected link with St Andrews.

"My sister went to school in St Andrews and my dad is a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews," explained the American.

"I have been very fortunate to have been going over there from a young age and be able to experience the traditions and always dream about The Open. To be able to do it there in St Andrews with my dad and my sister is going to be pretty cool for my family."

Mitchell punched his ticket with a top seven finish in the Canadian Open and he's since followed that with a tied sixth in the Travelers Championship having sat out the US Open.

Also tied 18th Memorial, Mitchell had a run of four top 12s in five starts on the PGA Tour throughout January and February so the idea that he's someone who might just pop up in a Florida event has long since gone.

Mitchell is now at a career-high 54th in the world rankings but still needs another push to break into that all-important top 50 and the rewards that it brings.

But why wait until St Andrews before trying to cash in on that surprise knowledge that he's been a regular visitor to Scotland and played plenty of golf here?

That will give him an extra comfort level and it's worth noting that the highest-finishing American in last year's Scottish Open wasn't a big gun; it was Ryan Palmer in fourth.

A less heralded US player shining seems to have been a theme in this event. Looking at the top American market in other recent Scottish Opens shows Luke List winning it when third at Gullane in 2018 and Andrew Putnam landing it when tied fourth at this week's course in 2019. JT was one shot back in ninth.

Mitchell is in the same mould so, in his current form, he looks worth a play at 66/1.

Brian Harman, also 66/1, would be another in the same vein. He made the top 20 in last year's Open and should enjoy the creativity needed around the greens here.

The left-hander comes in off a top 10 at the Travelers.

Final Bet: Christiaan Bezuidenhout each-way @ 81.080/1

There are several players at three-figure odds who caught my eye.

Johannes Veerman is enjoying a good run again and made the top eight here last year. The American is 100/1.

Victor Perez has come in for plenty of support and that's no surprise given his recent win in the Dutch Open and victory in the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championsip.

The Frenchman was also tied 14th here a couple of years ago.

But I'm going to end with a punt on Christiaan Bezuidenhout at 80/1.

While his countrymen Charles Schwartzel and Branden Grace filled their boots with wins in the opening two LIV events, Bezuidenhout finished runner-up at last week's John Deere Classic.

That best-ever finish on the PGA Tour came with rounds of 65, 66 and 66 from Friday to Sunday.

His basic course form (44-MC-34) here doesn't look amazing but he shot a Saturday 65 in 2019 and a Sunday 66 in 2021 so he can score on this track.

Bezuidenhout's putter looked hot at the John Deere - he ranked 3rd for SG: Putting (8.424) - and we know his short game is one of the best around.

Although his form has been a bit inconsistent, his last five starts show a 12th at the Byron Nelson, a 15th at the Charles Schwab Challenge and that runners-up finish at the John Deere.

Finishing second booked his place at St Andrews and he said at TPC Deere Run: "Pleased to have secured my spot there.

"I've put in a lot of hard work over the last week, especially my golf swing and just overall my game, my fitness.

"My trainer is here as well. We've been doing a lot of good things over the last few months, so it's nice to see the results coming through and the hard work is paying off."

Looking through his career, his two Big Easy Tour wins came back-to-back, as did his second and third DP World Tour titles. In other words, he's a good player to follow when hot.