Rickie Is Ready, But He Shoulda Played Fraserburgh

I bounced between the Phil Mickelson-Jimmy Walker pairing and the Rickie Fowler-Richard Bland twosome during round three of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and while Mickelson's overall game still seems a notch above the rest (other than still struggling to gauge long putt speed), Walker flashed moments of good form until a late round collapse. And Fowler looks to be very much ready heading into next week at The Open.

John Huggan writes about Fowler's love of links golf and how his wind play bodes well. Growing up in the wind-tunnel that is Murrieta, it figures Rickie can handle the breezes. So much so that I'll be speaking to my friend William Hill about an each-way opportunity with Rickie at an attractive 40-1.

After the round Rickie revealed to a few reporters that he played 36 holes Friday, the first 18 at Royal Aberdeen and later another round at Trump International where he pushed his tour bag on a trolley while playing with is caddie and agent. If he'd asked me, I would have surely recommended the otherworldly Cruden Bay or the lovely links at Fraserburgh, the seventh oldest golf club in the world and which I visited for the first time Saturday.

For those considering a trip to this part of Scotland, I'd highly recommend adding this gem and I explain why in this Loop item. Tell your friend it's like going to a craft beer tasting instead of a Four Seasons bar. The millenials will get it, the list checker-offers won't.

And thanks to Ran Morrissett for urging me to add this course to my studies. He has a much longer review with photos in much better light at GolfClubAtlas.com.