Players look ahead to this weekends European Tour Scottish Open.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Phil Mickelson, USA:

"I love it here, I love it here. This is one my favourite links golf course in all of the UK, but my favourite place to hold the Scottish Open. I love the town of Inverness. I love this course and I can't think of a better place to hold this Scottish Open."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Phil Mickelson, USA:

"Certainly the priority is the British Open for me - as it is for all players - but the Scottish Open is a very prestigious event. Coming over a week before gives me a chance to get acclimated to the time, it gives me a chance to get acclimated to the thick, heavy air and the winds that we face over here, as well as the grasses, the fescues and getting the ball on the ground and out of the air. All of those things require a little bit of time to get accustomed to. So having an extra week to do it sets everything up for the British Open to give myself and other players the best possible chance to compete and contend."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Martin Kaymer, Germany:

"Obviously it is a very similar way of playing golf. It is a links golf course. In the past when we have played Loch Lomond, it was a different kind of Scottish golf. That's... I always find it a little unfair that they take the tension away from this tournament because everybody is focusing on the Open. So, you know, I think people should have a little bit more respect for the event because it is a massive event that we play on the European Tour, with great winners in the past. It is a beautiful golf course that we play this week."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Patrick Reed, USA:

"You know it was one of the events that we really wanted to play, I really wanted to play because the history of the event as well as playing Ryder Cup real close to here. The atmosphere, the type of people that are over here... it is just one of those places that every time I come, I just can't wait to get back to it. It is one of these events that I have always wanted to play and I got that opportunity late this year and when they asked me to play there was no question. My wife looked at me and said 'pack up you are going to Scotland' and I was like 'here we go'."