There are those who do, and those who don't - believe in playing the week before a major, that is. Many of the "big guns" obviously believe that a competitive week in the Scottish highlands is too good an opportunity to miss and - surprise, surprise - Colin Montgomerie is installed as 8 to 1 favourite for the Standard Life Loch Lomond tournament which starts tomorrow.

The defending champion Tom Lehman is a 12 to 1 shot, as is Lee Westwood who left Druids Glen in upbeat mood. And Thomas Bjorn, who missed the Irish Open, returns to a course where he collected his first tour title two years ago. This time, he is a 20 to 1 shot.

However, the Americans tend to do well on this course and Stewart Cink showed signs that he is finally realising his undoubted potential when only losing in a play-off for the Greater Hartford Open last Sunday. At 25 to 1, Cink is a good price to take the crown in Scotland before heading on down to the British Open.

For an each-way saver, the 80 to 1 odds on Scotland's Gary Orr, who is also running into some form, look tempting.

8-1 - Colin Montgomerie (Scot).

12-1 - Lee Westwood (Eng), Tom Lehman (US).

14-1 - Jose-Maria Olazabal (Sp).

16-1 - Jesper Parnevik (Swe).

20-1 - Ian Woosnam (Wal), Thomas Bjorn (Den).

25-1 - Stewart Cink (US).

33-1 - Retief Goosen (SA), Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Glen Day (US).

40-1 - Nick Faldo (Eng), Mark McNulty (Zim), Robert Allenby (Aus), Stuart Appleby (Aus).

50-1 - Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe), Eduardo Romero (Arg), Robert Karlsson (Swe), Paul McGinley (Ire), Stephen Ames (T&T), Andrew Coltart (Scot), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Sp), Peter O'Malley (Aus), Peter Baker (Eng), Paul Broadhurst (Eng), David Howell (Eng), Matt Kuchar (US).

66-1 - Greg Turner (NZ), Greg Chalmers (Aus), David Carter (Eng), Philip Price (Wal), Peter Lonard (Aus).

Selected Others - 80-1 - Padraig Harrington (Ire), Billy Mayfair (US), Mark Brooks (US), Sergio Garcia (Sp), Gary Orr (Scot).

(Prices supplied by Ladbrokes Ireland).