Genesis Scottish Open: Five to watch at the Renaissance
The Southport man narrowly missed out on a maiden PGA Tour win at the Travelers Championship recently after a gut-wrenching loss to Keegan Bradley. It was his 42nd top-10 finish on the PGA circuit as a breakthrough on US soil continued to elude him
A winner of the Scottish Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Murcar Links back in 2009, Fleetwood has pieced together an impressive body of work in the Genesis Scottish Open.
The 34-year-old was beaten in a play-off by his compatriot, Aaron Rai, in 2020 while a share of fourth in 2022 and a tie for sixth the following year underlined his fondness for the Renaissance examination.
Calum Hill (Scotland)
A sixth Genesis Scottish Open appearance beckons for a player who has certainly experienced the ups-and-downs in recent seasons.
Not long after a maiden DP World Tour win in the Cazoo Classic back in 2021, Hill's progress was derailed by an insect bite later that season.
A seemingly minor nibble ended up causing him considerable distress, while befuddling medical experts, and he had to write off over 12 months of his burgeoning career.
The 30-year-old completed his recovery earlier this season, however, when he claimed his second tour title at the Joburg Open.
A few topsy-turvy weeks followed that success, but the Kirkcaldy-born golfer thrust himself into the mix again with a third-place finish in the recent Italian Open.
Min Woo Lee (Australia)
In a field peppered with global stars back in 2021, it was the world No 240 Lee who came up trumps at the Renaissance.
His play-off victory over Matt Fitzpatrick and Thomas Detry on a storm-disrupted final day ensured he became the first Aussie to win the Scottish Open since Wayne Riley in 1995.
Since then, Lee has captured his first title in America with victory at the PGA Tour's Houston Open earlier this season.
Missed cuts in both the US PGA and the US Open were a bit of a scunner but a course record-equalling 63 during the recent Rocket Classic hinted at a return to form.
Lee will also be spurred on by some sibling rivalry. His sister, Minjee, won her third women's major title a couple of weeks ago.
Padraig Harrington (Ireland)
As a golden oldie, Harrington continues to savour the silver linings. Last weekend, the indefatigable Irishman won the US Senior Open for the second time as he added another major to his shimmering collection.
The 53-year-old, who won two Opens and a US PGA Championship during a tremendous purple patch in 2007 and 2008, remains a tireless competitor.
Harrington, who also shared second in the US Senior PGA Championship earlier this season, was fourth in the Genesis Scottish Open back in 2017, and ninth in 2020.
The former European Ryder Cup captain was also well in the thick of it at the halfway stage of the 2023 championship.
A lover of the links, Harrington knows his way around the Renaissance. He is, after all, an official player consultant and works in tandem with the course designer, Tom Doak.
Ryan Fox (New Zealand)
A winner on Scottish soil in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship of 2022, Fox continues to underline his qualities as a golfer for every occasion.
A four-time winner on the DP World Tour, the Kiwi made his mark on American soil this season with a brace of rapid-fire wins.
At the Oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic in May, he chipped in from around 50-feet on the first play-off hole to beat Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs.
A month later, he birdied the fourth play-off hole to pip Sam Burns to the RBC Canadian Open.
A past winner of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Fox, the son of the legendary rugby All Black, Grant, has been a regular fixture at the Scottish Open since 2017.
He shared fourth on his debut and was tied sixth the following year.
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