Scottish Open 2012: Players to watch at Castle Stuart

For the Scottish contingent on the European Tour, the pressure is more intense than ever to secure a home win, and it’s been thirteen years since Monty’s triumph at Loch Lomond.

We profile some of the main contenders at Castle Stuart.

Luke Donald

The Englishman is definitely the frontrunner here, with odds of 7/1, and hoping to repeat his 2011 win. But the current World Number One will have to step up his game after his disastrous performance at the US Open if he is to avoid his current number 12 Tour Ranking sliding further.

Odds: 7/1

Francesco Molinari

Molinari has been at the top of his game for the last couple of tournaments, coming in 2nd at the recent French Open. Sitting at number 7 on the European Tour, it is merely a question of whether the Italian player can maintain this level of consistency. However, he will face stiff competition from big-hitters like Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose.

Odds: 16/1

Paul Lawrie

The Aberdonian player is enjoying something of a career renaissance at the moment, having bounced back to number 31 on the World Rankings. Lawrie is currently number 8 on the Tour Rankings with one win at the Qatar Masters behind him. As Scotland’s best bet for Open glory, can Lawrie deliver?

Odds: 25/1

Martin Laird

The big-hitting Scot could be an outside bet for success, and believes that improving weather conditions over the weekend could stand him in good stead. But the PGA Tour player will need to improve his short game if he is to challenge the favourites and ready himself for The Open.

Odds: 40/1

Branden Grace

Ranked fourth in the Tour Rankings, Grace is another frontrunner at Castle Stuart. A solid finish at number 17 in the French Open after a less than respectable number 100 in the Irish Open suggests that the South African will probably end up placing highly on the leaderboard. But can he maintain his overall Tour Ranking?

Odds: 50/1