Best bets for the Scottish Open, including a head-to-head matchup you don't want to miss

Professional golf shifts overseas this week for the Genesis Scottish Open, and many of the top players in the world are in the field for some Open Championship prep. Let's take a look at my four favorite bets for the Scottish Open. 

Matt Fitzpatrick top-20 finish (+120 DraftKings)

If you want to target a horse for the course this week, Matt Fitzpatrick is your man. In four starts at The Renaissance Club, the Englishman has recorded three top-15 finishes and a playoff loss in 2021. Fitzpatrick also heads to Scotland in fine form with six top-20 finishes and a win in his last nine starts. 

Look for the putter to be the difference-maker this week, as Fitzpatrick has gained multiple strokes on the greens every time he's played here, and he's gained strokes putting in 13 of his last 14 starts.

Alex Smalley top-40 finish (+120 FanDuel)

Alex Smalley is sneakily one of the hottest golfers on planet earth right now. The American has recorded five top-25 finishes in his last eight starts, and he's coming off a season-best T2 finish at the John Deere Classic last week. Smalley has been on fire with his irons, gaining more than 20 strokes on approach over his last three events. Iron play is key at The Renaissance Club, and Smalley finished T10 here last year in his first appearance at the course. This is a gift at plus money. 

Min Woo Lee > Justin Thomas (-120 DK)

This is by far my favorite matchup on the board this week. Justin Thomas has never been a good links player throughout his career. In six Open Championship starts, JT has recorded finishes of T53, CUT, CUT, T11, T40, and T53. He also enters the Scottish Open in poor form with three missed cuts in his last four starts, and he's lost strokes in every category over that span.

Meanwhile, Min Woo Lee has notched four top-18 finishes in his last five starts, and he's a links course veteran as a former full-time member of the DP World Tour. Lee also won the Scottish Open at the same track two years ago. He should be a bigger favorite here. 

Will there be a playoff? Yes (+300 DK)

The Genesis Scottish Open has been held at The Renaissance Club for the last four years. Three of those tournaments came down to a playoff, and Schauffele won last year by just one stroke. Something about this golf course leads to close finishes with a ton of names bunched up at the top, and I think we're getting great value here at +300.