The PGA Tour travels across the pond for the Genesis Scottish Open – the long-running championship leading into the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
The 43rd edition of Scotland’s second biggest golf tournament will be contested for the third time as an official PGA Tour event. For the sixth year in a row, The Renaissance Club will be the host venue. The newer track on Scotland’s Gold Coast will play to a par 70 and stretch to 7,237 yards for the country’s national championship.
All eyes will be on defending champion Rory McIlroy, who will tee it up for the first time since his meltdown at the U.S. Open three weeks ago.
2024 Genesis Scottish Open Primer
At-a-Glance
Tournament: Genesis Scottish Open
Sanctioned Tour: European Tour & PGA Tour
Euro Tour Debut: 1972
PGA Tour Debut: 2022
Dates: July 11-14, 2024
Where: North Berwick, Scotland, UK
Course: The Renaissance Club
Distance: Par 70, 7237 yards
Architect: Tom Doak (2008)
Format: 72-hole stroke, 36-hole cut
Purse: $9,000,000
Winning Share: $1,620,000
Defending Champion:Â Rory McIlroy
How to Follow the Genesis Scottish Open
TV: Thu-Fri: 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (GOLF); Sat-Sun: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (GOLF), 12-3 p.m. (CBS)
RADIO: Thu-Fri: 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Sat-Sun: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio/Sirius XM)
(Simulcast stream: PGATour.com/liveaudio)
PGA TOUR LINKS: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
EURO TOUR LINKS: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Scottish Open History
The Scottish Open debuted in 1935 at Gleneagles with Englishman Percy Alliss edging compatriot Jack Busson by four strokes to win a prize of £750. The 1936 edition was sponsored by Penfold, and titled the Penfold Scottish Open. The tournament was contested at Ayr Belleisle Golf Club with Jimmy Adams beating Tom Collinge in a 36-hole playoff.
The third installment of the Scottish Open was planned for late June, 1937 at Carnoustie in advance of the 72nd Open Championship. A last-minute objection by the R&A, though, forced tournament organizers to cancel the event.
The Scottish Open returned some 36 years later in 1972 as part of the inaugural season of the European Tour, with Sunbeam Electric assuming the title sponsor role. The tournament, ironically, was contested the week prior to the Open Championship. It ended after a two-year run but returned 13 years later in 1986 with Bell signing on as the title sponsor.
In 2017 it became part of the Rolex Series, with each elite tournament in the series having a minimum prize fund of $7 million.
In 2021, as part of a partnership with the European Tour, the U.S. PGA Tour announced that it would co-sanction the event, and place it on its 2022 schedule as an official PGA Tour stop, acting as the natural lead-in to the Open Championship. Part of the agreement saw the PGA Tour use its monopoly muscle and bring Genesis on as the tournament’s new title sponsor, which also titles the annual Tiger Woods hosted event at Riveria.
Past winners of the Scottish Open include Graham Marsh, Ian Woosnam, Jesper Parnevik, Thomas Bjorn, Tom Lehman, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Graeme McDowell, Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele, and Rory McIlroy.
Woosnam is a three-time winner, while Els has won twice.
History: Tournament Names
- Genesis Scottish Open (2022-)
- abrdn Scottish Open (2021)
- Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open (2018-19)
- Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open (2012-17)
- Barclays Scottish Open (2002-11)
- Scottish Open at Loch Lomond (2001)
- Standard Life Loch Lomond (1999-00)
- Standard Life World Invitational (1998)
- Loch Lomond World Invitational (1996-97)
- Scottish Open (1995-96)
- Bell’s Scottish Open (1986-94)
- Sunbeam Electric Scottish Open (1972-73)
- Penfold Scottish Open (1936)
- Scottish Open Championship (1935)
Recent Winners
2023: Rory McIlroy (-15)
2022: Xander Schauffele (-7)
2021: Min Woo Lee (-18)*
2020: Aaron Rai (-11)*
2019: Bernd Wiesberger (-22)*
2018: Brandon Stone (-20)
2017: Rafael Cabrera-Bello (-13)*
2016: Alex Noren (-14)
2015: Rickie Fowler (-12)
2014: Justin Rose (-16)
2013: Phil Mickelson (-17)*
* Playoff
Tournament Records
Scoring
260 (−20) – Brandon Stone (2018)
262 (−22) – Bernd Wiesberger (2019)
264 (−20) – Ian Woosnam (1987)
264 (−18) – Peter O’Malley (1992)
Wins
3 – Ian Woosnam (1987, 1990, 1996)
2 – Ernie Els (2000, 2003)
Scottish Open Field
The field in East Lothian is headlined by PGA Tour stars Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Aberg and Collin Morikawa, among a bevy of top-ranked players.
Leading the way is McIlroy, who won the Scottish Open last year. The four-time major winner will tee it up for the first time since blowing a late lead at the U.S. Open.
U.K. bookmakers have McIlroy listed as the pre-tournament co-favorite, at 8-1, alongside 2022 champion, and reigning PGA winner, Xander Schauffele, who enters in top form.
Morikawa has the third best odds (12-1) and is playing his best golf since winning the 2021 British Open. The Cal native has reeled off eight straight finishes of T16 or better, including five top 10s and three top 5s.
Aberg, listed at 16-1, enters Scotland playing solid golf, but not spectacular, with his last two starts being T26 and T12.
Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland round out the top-5 favorites, with both listed at 20-1.
Fleetwood, still in search of his first PGA tour win, enters in very good form, while Hovland continues to be suspect, despite appearing to turn it around at the PGA (T3). His last three starts: T20, MC, T15.
Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee and Tom Kim are each offered at 25-1. Lee is a former winner here (2021).
A pair of major winners from 2022 round out the top-10 betting favs: Justin Thomas (PGA) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (US Open) are on the board at 35-1.
Finally, Scotland’s own Robert MacIntyre and Ewen Feguson are longer shots at 50-1 and 150-1, respectively. After winning the Canadian Open, MacIntyre has struggled, posting a pair of missed-cuts in his last three starts. Ferguson, meanwhile, enters off a win in Germany at the BMW International Open.
Top-5 Betting Favorites
1. Rory McIlroy 8-1
1. Xander Schauffele 8-1
3. Collin Morikawa 12-1
4. Ludvig Aberg 16-1
5. Tommy Fleetwood 20-1
5. Viktor Hovland 20-1
Full Field & Odds
The Renaissance Club | North Berwick, East Lothian, UK | July 11-14, 2024
