Major rehearsals this week, in Scotland and Illinois, ahead of next weekend's Open Championship.
Francesco Molinari, the Italian number one, chooses the United States, where he wants to continue to accumulate points for the final of the American championship, the very rich Palyoffs of the FedexCup.
The national grain returns to the field for the John Deere Classic, at the TPC Deere Run in Silvis after the unforgettable success at the Quicken Loans National, the tournament organized by Tiger Woods two weeks ago. The victory achieved on American soil, in the most competitive tour in the world, makes him one of the favourites. The Turin native has never appeared so focused on the greens as in this period and every tournament is now within his reach, given that he has always been a champion in the long game.
In this case he has to deal with a good level field, but not excellent, because many big Americans have chosen the Scottish Open. Defends the title Bryson DeChambeau and will try to give him a hard time, among others, Bill Haas, Chesson Hadley, Zach Johnson, Patton Kizzire, Hunter Mahan, Ryan Moore. Ryan Palmer, Chris Kirk, Ryan Moore, Kevin Streelman, Joacquin Niemann. The prize pool is $5,8 million.
In Scotland instead, from this morning, it's a parade of champions. There are Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Hideki Matsuyama, Russell Knox, fresh from Sunday's victory in the Irish Open (Rolex Series).
Spain's Rafa Cabrera Bello, reigning champion, Germany's Martin Kaymer, Belgium's Thomas Pieters, Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, England's Matt Wallace, Ian Poulter, Tyrrell Hatton, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Danny Willett, South Africa's Ernie Els will also contribute to the show. and Louis Oosthuizen, the Thais Tonghchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat and the Chinese Ashun Wu and Haotong Li. Six Azzurri who will try to make themselves honour: Matteo Manassero, Renato Paratore, Edoardo Molinari, Nino Bertasio, Lorenzo Gagli and Andrea Pavan.
The competition is important: it is the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, the fifth of the eight events of the Rolex Series of the European Tour, with a prize pool of seven million dollars.
It is the last call before the Open Championship, the third seasonal major scheduled for next week at the famous Carnoustie Golf Club, in Angus, also in Scotland.
