Wednesday 30 September 2015 10:58, UK
Some of the world's best golfers are joined by a raft of celebrities for the Alfred Dunhill Championship, the sole event on the schedule which sees professionals joined by amateurs and set the challenge of overcoming three of Scotland's finest links courses.
Carnoustie, St Andrews and Kingsbarns will all be set up to make life a little easier for those who don't make their fortunes from this sport and professionals will enjoy firing at generous pins as they chase the 20-under total they will need to be competitive as the battle for the Race to Dubai hots up.
Danny Willett is currently in second place, tasked with overhauling Rory McIlroy no less, and the Sheffield man will know that with McIlroy absent this event is an excellent chance to move to the top of the standings.
Having recently confirmed that his wife, Nicole, is expecting the couples' first child, all is well in the world of this improving 27-year-old and he'll have his backers at around the 20/1 mark having gone close in this event before.
But while Willett's compatriots and those from Scotland and Ireland have dominated this event, winning 11 of 14 renewals, not always have champions been easy to find. The last four from these shores have been David Howell, Simon Dyson, Michael Hoey and Oliver Wilson, the latter having been priced up as a complete no-hoper before securing an emotional success a year ago.
Wilson has struggled since and may be even less likely to defend his title, but Hoey and Howell make plenty of appeal in the absence of the injured Dyson.
Hoey has enjoyed a solid year, contending in Russia and Germany of late, and as a five-time European Tour winner we can trust him in the heat of battle if he plays well enough over the first three rounds.
The Northern Irishman is one of the most popular players on the circuit who is sure to be a hit with his amateur playing partners and he's shown more than once that he can adapt to the unique nature of this event.
Howell has also enjoyed a good year without success but three top-10 finishes here, including victory via a play-off two years ago, confirm that it's a tournament he looks forward to. His game has looked in decent shape for months now and with low numbers needed, his deadly putting is a key asset.
The last of the home contingent I want on-side is Andy Sullivan, whose record in the event is modest but who has come on leaps and bounds over the last 18 months, winning twice at the start of the season and impressing in good company since.
Sullivan is another who will soon be welcoming a new face into his family and the chirpy Nuneaton pro will have a great time on the links - hopefully made better still by four rounds in the 60s.
Finally, big-hitting pair Lucas Bjerregaard and Nicolas Colsaerts look the value picks of the continental European challengers.
Bjerregaard is in red-hot form and played well on his debut here last year, despite failing to take advantage of the easiest test at Kingsbarns.
Colsaerts meanwhile is sure to be inspired by the exploits of friend and pupil Thomas Pieters, winner of his last two starts, and the former Ryder Cup man has shown some positive signs lately. He was inside the top-10 on his last visit here and has the class to prove quotes of 100/1 and upwards to be extremely generous.
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