Newport-based Phillip Price tunes up for next week's Open when he takes his place in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond tomorrow. Price, 37, who finished in joint 20th position last week in the European Open where he was defending his crown, is assured of an Open spot after finishing in the world's top 50 last year.

He is joined in the Scottish field by Blackwood's Bradley Dredge, who also earned a share of 20th spot at the European Open after a final round of 67. This represented Dredge's best form for half a season, as in the previous five tournaments he missed four successive cuts and finished well down the field at the French Open.

The double top 20 boost for Price and Dredge was also extremely timely for Price, whose form in 2004 has failed to hit the heights of 2003.

This time last year Price won the European Open, finished second at Loch Lomond and then in the top ten at The Open in a superb three week spell, but this year he has struggled. The man who pipped Price to the Scottish Open crown last year, Ernie Els, is back to defend his crown although his compatriot Retief Goosen chooses to rest after winning the US Open and the European Open in his last two outings.

One exemption spot for next week's Open is still up for grabs which gives Dredge an extra incentive to do well, but the same is true for Ian Woosnam, Jose Maria Olazabal, Angel Cabrera, Justin Rose and Wales Open winner Simon Khan. Rose had 10 birdies in a closing 65 at the K Club near Dublin on Sunday, but to miss out on the Open would be a huge blow to his hopes of a Ryder Cup debut in September.

Phillip Price tees off at 8.10 with Cabrera and Ben Curtis, with Dredge off at 12.10 with Otto Hennie and Peter Hedblom.