Genesis Scottish Open storylines: Why Scottie Scheffler is switching routine

Players who can shape the ball both ways, keep their tee shots and iron shots under the wind and chip it high and low off tight lies are best suited for links golf. Europeans such as Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre and Ludvig Aberg will be names to watch as Scotland and Northern Ireland hit the spotlight.

Scottie Scheffler switching up his normal routine

Scheffler doesn't normally like teeing it up the week before a major championship. The world No. 1 has skipped the week leading up to a major in six of the past seven and all three this season. He enjoys resetting his mind and dialing in his practice to be fresh for the biggest events of the year, but he's changing it up ahead of the Open Championship (July 17-20, Prestwick Golf Club, Scotland).

Scheffler will be in the field for the Genesis Scottish Open to get links reps in before the fourth and final major of the year. In three previous starts at The Renaissance Club, the 29-year-old finished T12, cut and T3. Scheffler doesn't have a finish better than T7 in four career Open Championship starts, so he's switching up his approach with the Claret Jug on his mind. 

Scheffler is the +360 favorite to win the Genesis Scottish Open (FanDuel).

Collin Morikawa with (another) new caddie on the bag

It's been a frustrating year for Morikawa, who started the season hot but has just two top-20 finishes in his past eight starts. Aside from his poor play, Morikawa has been embroiled in unusual caddie drama over the past few months. 

In April, Morikawa split with his longtime bagman, JJ Jakovic. He immediately picked up Joe Greiner, Max Homa's former caddie, but that partnership lasted only five starts. Then Morikawa tabbed his college teammate, KK Limbhasut, as a fill-in for his start at the Rocket Classic, and now he's teamed with veteran caddie Billy Foster for the Genesis Scottish Open. 

Foster has experience working with Seve Ballesteros, Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Matt Fitzpatrick. Maybe this is the switch that kicks Morikawa's season in gear.