Steve Palmer's Scottish Open and Barbasol Championship first-round preview and free golf betting tips

Where to watch the Scottish Open

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 8am Thursday

Best bets

Adam Scott to win the 1.03pm threeball
2pts 13-8 Hills

Ryan Fox to win the 2.09pm threeball
2pts 6-4 general

Shane Lowry to win the 1.14pm threeball
1pt 11-4 Betfair, Power

Justin Lower to win 6.05pm threeball
1pt 23-20 Coral, Ladbrokes

Scottish Open first-round preview

Rory McIlroy is an early starter in the first round of the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club, but world number one Scottie Scheffler appears much later in the day, teeing off at 1.14pm alongside Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry.

Scheffler does not have a huge bank of links experience in comparison to other members of the elite – he will be playing in only his third Open Championship next week – and the Texas-based star missed the cut by two shots in last year's Scottish Open.

Scheffler could be a vulnerable threeball favourite and the outsider of the group, Lowry, is the preferred punting option. The 2019 Open champion relishes this period of the season and he has been slowly getting his act together on the PGA Tour in recent weeks. Hovland missed the Renaissance cut by four shots last year.

Former world number one, Adam Scott, also appeals on day one of the high-class East Lothian gathering. Scott, an experienced links performer who can boast three top-fives in the Open, has been consistently impressive on the PGA Tour over the last couple of months.

Max Homa is still learning links golf, while Yannik Paul has been labouring with back problems, so Scott can boss the 1.03pm contest.

The other Scottish Open threeball investment which appeals is Ryan Fox to defeat Corey Conners and Tom Hoge. Fox, who won the Dunhill Links Championship last year, has an impressive record on links terrain. The New Zealander should settle quicker at the Renaissance than his playing partners.

The Barbasol Championship is a low-key PGA Tour event which is running alongside the Scottish Open. Punters looking for a wager on the tournament in Kentucky should consider the odds-against quotes about Justin Lower winning the 6.05pm (UK and Ireland) threeball.

Lower, who finished eighth in the Barbasol Championship last year, ended up in the same position in the Rocket Mortgage Classic last time out. That heady blend of course and current form makes the 34-year-old the likely winner against Henrik Norlander and Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez. Cameron Champ, a Racing Post Sport outright recommendation, has withdrawn from the event, so stakes will be returned.

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