THE fractured world of golf, split asunder by the arrival of LIV Golf and set for a court battle as ugly as any messy divorce, is badly in need of a period of calm and the Home of Golf might just provide it.

Well, maybe. This week the PGA and DP World Tour are breaking new ground with the newly co-sanctioned Scottish Open and then next week the Open celebrates its 150th championship on The Old Course at St Andrews. It should, and largely will be, a celebration of the game’s finest form of the game, but the background whispering will also be a recurring feature of the fortnight.

The rebels who have joined Greg Norman’s breakaway are banned this week, but permitted to play in the final major of the year. It might be the last time many of them tee it up in mainstream golf for nine months (maybe even more).

So let’s enjoy the Scottish seaside and let the linksland soothe our golfing souls. The Renaissance Club, a new layout along a majestic stretch of linksland east of Edinburgh, hosts the tournament for a fourth time. It’s never entirely convinced as a true links examination and it’s proved to be something of a birdie-fest. But there’s also no doubt that, ever since the event moved from the inland Loch Lomond to various links courses, it has been beneficial for Open contenders to take part.

We’re set for wonderful back drops, fast running turf, crumpled terrain, fine sand, ever-changing breezes and knock-down shots. Plus speculation, recrimination and court orders. If there is a play-off needed, don’t be surprised it it is Kramer versus Kramer.

Winner – Scottie Scheffler at 11/1

Twelve months ago the current Masters champion was a complete novice at links golf and in his first lap of this tournament it showed. A 72 doesn’t sound disastrous, but in good scoring conditions it left him T113th on the leaderboard. Twenty-four hours later he’d carded a 63 to not only make the cut but sit T11th and he cheerfully explained that he did, in fact, love Scotland, seaside golf, and the variety of options available for shot-making. Rounds of 67-69 at the weekend confirmed that, he finished T12th, and a week later he maintained the pace when never outside the top 10 at Royal St. George’s in logging eighth at the Open

A four-time winner in six starts earlier this year he’s landed six top 20s in seven starts since then, including play-off defeat in the Charles Schwab Challenge and second at the US Open. He’s got a great chance of making it five wins this week.

Each Way – Hideki Matsuyama at 33/1

There’s no doubt that the Japanese star arrives in the UK with an air of mystery about his form because he’s not been seen since the US Open. Moreover, ever since the weeks leading up to his defence of the Masters title in early April there have been injury problems messing with his preparations.

But if you trust in the simple fact that he’s teeing it up, then his price is rather attractive because, while his form has been patchy, in the sense that he hasn’t started very often, when he has played he’s looked good. He was second at halfway at Augusta National before finishing T14th, added third at the AT&T Byron Nelson, made the cut in the PGA Championship and was fourth last time out in the US Open.

He was also a winner either side of New Year and, although he is a debutant this week at The Renaissance Club, he was sixth at Muirfield (a few miles along the coast) in the 2013 Open.

Each Way – Lucas Herbert at 80/1

I can’t avoid this price for the young Aussie. He dropped an early hint that he could play near the sea and in the wind when sixth at 13th Beach in the 2017 Vic Open and he backed it up with third in the following year’s Sicily Open at Verdura, his first European top 10. By the end of that year he’d added seventh at the Dunhill Links Championship.

His first win on the DP World Tour came at a very blustery Emirates in the 2020 Dubai Desert Classic and it was ditto when he broke through on the PGA Tour at last year’s Bermuda Championship. He’s also got a fine course record, making the cut on debut, then finishing fourth in both of the last two renewals (in 2020 he led at halfway, carded a 79 on Saturday, then bounced back with a 65 on Sunday). Finally, when defending the Irish Open last week, he was an impressive tied ninth.