2014 Aberdeen Assest Management Scottish Open Betting Preview Tips And Power Rankings

2014 Aberdeen Assest Management Scottish Open, Royal Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland 10 Jul 2014 - 13 Jul 2014

Last week we tipped GMac to win at 11/1

Favourites

With a slew of top players arriving in Scotland for this week’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open title, I find myself having to look down the odds a little to find some real value in the star studded field.

Rory McIlroy 11/1 and Justin Rose 14/1 head the betting with defending champ Phil Mickelson at 20/1. In total 22 players from inside the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking, ten Major Champions, nine former European Tour Number Ones, 94 European Tour winners and eight former Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open champions are included in the field.

Doc’s Top Five To Watch

Jamie Donaldson 25/1

Followed a T5 in Cologne with another T5 in Paris last week. A ball in the hazard on the 16th cost Jamie a double bogey and chance of victory at Golf National; he didn’t realize his ball was actually sitting on dry land and was playable in the hazard until he had taken his drop. The Welshman has the game to win big on links as proven in 2012 at Royal Portrush when he was victorious and a T2 at the WGC Cadillac in Doral earlier this season shows he can mix it with the world’s best.


Thomas Bjorn 33/1

I’m always wary of Thomas Bjorn the week after he misses a cut. There will be no one more determined than Tommy to get back into form this week at Royal Aberdeen and I’m betting he’ll be the first on the range Monday morning. Despite a rough week in Paris, Bjorn still has top 10’s in Cologne (T8) and Wentworth (T3) along with a solid Nordea (T15) in his last four starts. And we know he can play a bit on links. Beware the wounded Bjorn!


Francesco Molinari 33/1

After a bright early season brought cheques in China, Sawgrass and Wentworth, Francesco now finds himself in the meat of the European Tour season in real need of Ryder Cup points if he is to make Paul McGinley’s European side in Gleneagles, a course he loves playing on. Playing solidly with a T12 in Germany and T26 in France, the Italian will be targeting this week more than most. The Scottish Open has been good to the Italian historically with T4 in 2010 at Loch Lomond and a solo second at Castle Stuart in 2012. Having watched Francesco on links top 10 in Muirfield and Portrush over the past two years I really fancy him on this short traditional par 71.


Thongchai Jaidee 40/1

The Thai is playing the golf of his life at the moment and despite my reservations (re links, wind, rain etc) just cannot be ignored. Battled heroically after a desperate start through what must have been ferocious conditions to him in Paris last Sunday to score a T2 behind GMac and adds it to his T5 in Cologne and playoff win at The Nordea Masters. Driving it arrow straight and putting beautifully, you just cannot ignore Jaidee for an each way look.


Robert Karlsson 40/1

Delighted to see Robert Karlsson back to near top form; he’s an absolute gent. Things have been on the up since a T6 at The Nordea Masters and if Ireland and Germany were more solid than spectacular Robert’s solo fourth at The Open de France was top quality in testing conditions. The 2008 Alfred Dunhill Links champ knows how to get it done on the links, in the form he’s in I’m expecting another great week.

Long Odds Glory Shots

Rafa Cabrera Bello at time of writing is available at 60/1 on the exchanges after a poor Saturday at Golf National lead a T35 but he is still flashing on my radar. On form since a T16 at Wentworth, T9 at Nordea and then scored a T2 in Cologne. Played great on links in Portrush a couple of years ago when finishing second to Donaldson.

Shane Lowry at 66/1 and Mike Hoey at 80/1 will be well used to links and will attract each way money from Irish fans. Mike added a solo 7th in France to his T8 in Ireland and if he can continue that form and eliminate the niggley odd bogey, he can do well this week. Shane has been on good form too; since his second at Wentworth he was solid in Sweden and T12 in Germany. He’s been knocking on the door of a Scottish Open since Loch Lomond (7th) in 2010, and Castle Stuart in 2011 and 2012 now that it’s on a real links he might just oblige!

Matthew Baldwin quoted at 100/1 is interesting for a man on real form. T12 in Austria, T3 in Ireland and T5 again in France. 100/1? Worth a squeak!