Stenson to return to Scottish Open

ABERDEEN Asset Management Scottish Open organisers will be tempted to relive the final two rounds of last year’s Open Championship with Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson set to tee-up at Dundonald.

Stenson officially confirmed he will contest Scotland’s premier event.

Joining the pair will be Mickelson, who went head-to-head with Stenson for the last 36-holes at Royal Troon, and is believed to have added the Scottish Open to his schedule.

“It is a very good reason to be playing in the Scottish Open in the week before The Open as it’s a great way for me to prepare for The Open.

“And hearing also that Phil is going to also be playing the Scottish Open is another good reason to be playing.

“He’s a great player and a great guy, and I’ve had some good matches with him throughout the years.”

“I recall a stat from last year that the top four in The Open had all played the week before in the Scottish.

“If you are going to be properly prepared for The Open you have to either go and play the Open course or play a links course somewhere”.

Meanwhile, Scot Russell Knox reckons he’s ‘not a million miles away’ from his best despite dropping outside the top-20 on the World Rankings for a first time since last October.

Knox tees-up as World No. 21 in this week’s Valspar Championship in Tampa at the Copperhead course..

“I managed to shoot three under on Saturday and then got off to a bad start on Sunday.

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