Horse For The Course: PGA DFS Course History - 2025 Scottish Open

Todd McGill's DraftKings, FanDuel PGA DFS picks for the 2025 Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. Picks for daily fantasy golf based on course history

With the PGA Tour season nearing its end, we still have some of the most important events on the calendar, namely, The Open Championship and the FedEx Cup Playoffs. However, before we reach the year's fourth and final major championship, the combination of some of the best players from the PGA and DP World Tours will compete in this week's Genesis Scottish Open. The Renaissance Club will play host for a seventh consecutive year.

While this does get players acclimated to the time difference and feel for hitting shots on different playing surfaces, the Renaissance Club doesn't exactly play like a true "links-style" course. Perhaps it's why some are opting to head straight to Royal Portrush. Nevertheless, this year's field isn't void of firepower, as Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and others have made the trek to North Berwick. With this being its third year as a co-sanctioned event, there is now enough course history to make this article an informative read.

Horse For The Course is an article highlighting players in this week's field with elite course history and is part of our free PGA DFS content here at RotoBaller. For some of the favorite DFS plays of the week, check out the Core Four article written by my buddy, Joe Nicely, here at RotoBaller every Wednesday. It's part of our amazing PGA Premium package that includes an all-new PGA Research Station, Lineup Builder & Optimizer, and some of the best articles in the PGA DFS industry! You can sign up now using the Promo Code TDG for an extra discount at checkout!

2025 Genesis Scottish Open

While this championship has been a part of European Professional Golf since 1972, its partnership with the PGA Tour is only in its fourth year. However, PGA Tour players had been making efforts to compete before that, with Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler winning in 2013 and 2015 (both at different venues). Leaderboards are often very diverse here, which allows you to get to know more players than those you're accustomed to seeing.

Since the move to The Renaissance Club, the drama on Sunday has been there every time. The past three champions have all won by a single stroke, with the three before that going to a playoff. It has also succeeded in producing enough well-known names to interest casual fans. So, anyone in the States willing to get up early to watch should be in for a treat!

Scottie Scheffler leads the betting odds to start the week by a surprisingly large margin at +360 (DraftKings), with Rory McIlroy coming behind him at +750 (DraftKings). This seems like a wide gap, considering the history here and the equally impressive seasons they are having. Regardless, after a couple of weeks without some of the top names competing, it will be nice to have them back in action.

You can find out who the smart money is on by checking out Spencer Aguiar's PGA DFS: Vegas Report weekly. And be sure to read our other top-notch weekly PGA DFS articles and Player News/Matchup Outlook Posts to help you win big!

The Renaissance Club

Par 70 - 7,282 | Greens: Overseeded Kikuyugrass | Designed By: Tom Doak

A baby in terms of other richly historic places in Scotland for the game, The Renaissance Club was established in 2008 with the hopes of hosting big-time golf events. It has fulfilled that purpose by hosting the Scottish Open since 2019, among other national championships.

Wind is the sole defense of this golf course, aside from most players' unfamiliarity with putting on slower greens. The fluctuations in winning scores are mostly weather-related, though we've yet to see it be unbearable. The main point to keep in mind here is that wind, more importantly, its direction, can affect how the course plays in a massive way.

It isn't overly long and isn't very penalizing off the tee, which makes it a prime target for the "bomb and gouge" types. However, there is a surprising number of long iron shots, both on par 5s and the longer par 4s that command a much heavier emphasis than anything inside 150 yards. Most of my statistical considerations will be focused on strokes gained off the tee, approach play outside of 200 yards, and strokes gained putting on slower greens.

Recent Scottish Open Winners

• 2024: Robert MacIntyre (-18)
• 2023: Rory McIlroy (-15)
• 2022: Xander Schauffele (-7)
• 2021: Min Woo Lee (-18)
• 2020: Aaron Rai (-11)

The Horse

Robert MacIntyre

• Notable Finishes: 1st ('24), 2nd ('23)

Robert MacIntyre, the 12th best player in the world 🙌 pic.twitter.com/tssWuXxSab

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 16, 2025

Normally, a player would need more than two quality finishes at a venue before claiming this esteemed honor, but Robert Macintyre has easily proved his case over the last two years at this event. Since becoming a co-sanctioned event, he is second in the field in total strokes gained per round (+2.601) and ranks inside the top 10 in strokes gained on approach (+0.899) and putting (+0.934).

As one of the most efficient drivers in the sport, Bobby Mac fits The Renaissance Club like a glove, especially if the putter remains hot. Look for him to find his way in the mix again this week.

The Ponies

Rory McIlroy

• Notable Finishes: 1st ('23), T4 ('24)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿⚡️🔙 #FLASHBACK — Rory McIlroy came up clutch on the 72nd hole of the 2023 Scottish Open. His approach shot was dead into the wind and he flighted his 2-iron perfectly from 202 yards out…. made the putt & secured a one shot victory! @TrackingRory

pic.twitter.com/9fXp4CfAYK

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 7, 2025

The run-up to The Open Championship, back in his home country, starts this week for Rory McIlroy, who's coming off a T6 at The Travelers a few weeks ago and seems to be off the hangover from his historic Masters victory. He's found magic in Scotland before, winning this event two years ago in typical McIroy fashion.

Since becoming a co-sanctioned event, the 36-year-old leads the field in total strokes gained per round (+2.876). It isn't surprising that off-the-tee accounts for +1.372 of that, and what should scare competitors is the fact that McIlroy is putting at a much better pace than his +0.001 strokes gained putting average here. Look for the return of a fiery and focused Rory.

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Tommy Fleetwood

• Notable Finishes: 2nd ('20), T4 ('22), T6 ('23)

Heartbreak for Tommy Fleetwood. 💔 pic.twitter.com/9gKohYCZfg

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) June 22, 2025

Another tournament, and another place where Tommy Fleetwood has narrowly missed his opportunity on several occasions.  Coming off the heartbreak at The Travelers, this week will hopefully be a good reset for the 34-year-old, who putted terribly in 2024 but has otherwise made his way around The Renaissance Club in positive fashion.

Aside from the heartbreak he experiences nearly every time he's in contention, Fleetwood has had a great season. He sits 10th in the FedEx Cup race and has already earned over six million dollars for the season. If his focus has cleared, there's no reason to doubt his ability to be in contention again come Sunday.

Tom Kim

• Notable Finishes: 3rd ('22), T6 ('23)

2025 hasn't been kind to Tom Kim, who comes to North Berwick hoping to lean on past success to earn his first top 25 since February. It's hard to argue with three career finishes inside the top 15 at this venue, but the play on paper doesn't instill much confidence in a fourth this year.

The 23-year-old has only gained strokes off the tee once in his last eight starts, and his +2.22 strokes gained on approach last week at the John Deere was the first time in 11 starts. Other than riding on history, there isn't much to like with Kim at the moment.

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