World number one Scottie Scheffler is in town, as is Masters champion Rory McIlroy and new US Open champion JJ Spaun. MacIntyre will defend his title in front of a partisan home crowd and he will be in good company from the off, grouped with Scheffler and last year’s runner-up Adam Scott on the first day.

Robert MacIntyre returns to the Scottish Open exasperated by the year gone by since he birdied the final hole to win his home country's national championship in North Berwick last July.