Colsaerts the value in Scottish Open

The European Tour arrives in Scotland this week for the Scottish Open which is the traditional warm-up act for the British Open. Castle Stuart in Inverness is the location for the third and final year before the event moves to Royal Aberdeen. Here is our guide to the best of the bets from the event.

Bookmakers are split on who to make favourite with Ernie Els (sportingbet/YOU WIN) and Henrik Stenson (GENERAL) both available at 20/1. Els is a player in good form having come tied for fourth at the US Open before winning the BMW International Open. His course record is not great though with 25th his highest placing in two visits to Castle Stuart.

Stenson is one who has done well at Castle Stuart coming eighth here last year. The Swede is also in good form with his last nine starts featuring a second in Houston, a fifth in Players Championship and top tens at Bay Hill and in the BMW International Open. He commands respect here as he is a fine player of Links venues.

Phil Mickelson is the third favourite in the market and he can be backed at 22/1 (YOU WIN). Lefty has played in both of the previous Castle Stuart Scottish Opens and hit two great middle rounds last year which was let down by a bad start and finish. Asides from missing the cut in the Greenbrier Classic (an event he has never done well in) Mickelson is in good form finishing runner-up in the US Open and at St Jude.

Paul Casey and Thomas Bjorn are both 25/1 (GENERAL) chances. The Englishman knows that he must win if he is to compete at Murifield next week. He will be boosted by the fact that he won the Irish Open recently though he missed the cut here last year.

Bjorn is the mister consistent of the tour so far with five top ten finishes in his last seven starts. The Dane though does not have a great record at the course having missed the cut on two previous occasions.

Matteo Manassero is a 28/1 (GENERAL) chance and the Italian is in good form with a victory (BMW PGA Championship), a tied fourth (Nordea Masters) and three top 25 finishes from his last six starts. The Italian came 36th here last year.

Of the players mentioned all have to be respected especially Mickelson and Els. I however will be looking elsewhere for my bets in order to find some value.

The headline selection is Frenchman Nicolas Colsaerts who is among the top ten for average scores at this venue and finished tied third here in 2011. He has three top ten finishes among his last six starts and two more of these tournaments saw a top 25 finish. Take him at 28/1 each-way (GENERAL) with any firm playing six places.

I would also recommend Shane Lowry who comes here on the back of a tied fifth at the Irish Open where he was let down by a disappointing third round. Lowry is a great links player who has finished 14th and 11th on his last two visits to Castle Stuart. Take Lowry each-way at 33/1 (paddy Power/STAN JAMES) who are paying six places.

The final selection is Soren Kjeldsen at 66/1 (SKYBET/boylesports/paddy Power). The Dane has a good record here coming 42 in 2011 before improving to tied fifth in 2012. His recent form is good also with a tied eighth in the Open de France and top 20 finishes in the Irish Open and the Nordea Masters.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: Nicolas Colsaerts, EW, 28/1 (GENERAL)
SILVER: Shane Lowry, EW, 33/1 (paddy Power/STAN JAMES)
BRONZE: Soren Kjeldsen, EW, 66/1 (SKYBET/boylesports/paddy Power)

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12/07/2013     © Frixo 2026