World No.1 Scottie Scheffler was among the first elite golfers to arrive at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian on Monday, as preparations intensified for the Genesis Scottish Open, Scotland's premier golf event of the year. The $9 million tournament, which begins Thursday, has attracted a glittering field of 16 major winners, including Scheffler, the reigning Open Champion.
Star-Studded Practice Sessions
Scheffler spent time on the driving range honing his skills ahead of his bid to win the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time. He was joined by FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood, who is aiming to improve on his runner-up finish in 2020 to Aaron Rai. Fleetwood is also preparing for next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport.
Current PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai was also practicing alongside European Ryder Cup star Viktor Hovland, who recently won the Travelers Championship. Scotland's Bob MacIntyre worked on his chipping and putting, while compatriots Connor Syme and Calum Hill were also on the range.
Defending Champion and Notable Absences
Chris Gotterup, fresh from winning the John Deere Classic, is the defending champion at the Renaissance, having defeated Rory McIlroy in a thrilling final last year. McIlroy, who beat MacIntyre in a similarly dramatic finish three years ago, will also be aiming to add to his title collection at the event.
Championship Director Rory Colville expressed excitement about the field, stating: "In the last two years, in terms of the world rankings we've had the fifth strongest field in all of golf and we'll have something similar this year and we are very proud of that. Fans want to see Rory, Scottie, Tommy and, obviously in Scotland, Bob battling it out and we are very privileged to have them in the field again. No doubt another dramatic contest between them all on the golf course."
Enhanced Spectator Experience
Tournament organizers have improved the spectator experience for 2026, including alterations to the course routing. Colville explained: "The goal is for continued growth and it is one of the reasons why we looked at changing over the routing of the golf course, to give more space for viewing on the back nine. We've expanded the Fans' Zone site as well. So we are prepared for a bigger crowd than last year and ticket sales are going exceptionally well, so we are hopeful we will beat last year's number."
