MIGUEL ANGEL JIMINEZ today insisted playing in the Scottish Open is the perfect warm-up for a crack at the Claret Jug.

Graeme McDowell raised eyebrows in the golf world earlier this month when he revealed his reasons for skipping the European Tour event.

The former champion – he won the flagship title when it was held at Loch Lomond back in 2008 – called the Castle Stuart layout "one-dimensional".

And the Ulsterman, who landed the French Open on Sunday, revealed he'd only compete when the event was staged on a "classic links course".

However, many of the world's leading players clearly disagree with the ex-US Open champion's comments. For the likes of Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson are all taking part in the Aberdeen Asset Management-sponsored event here this week.

Many players firmly believe competing on a links course the week before The Open is staged gives them a far better chance of landing the major.

Jimenez, the cigar-smoking Spaniard who is such a favourite with the galleries, certainly feels it boosts his chances of success to play in the Highlands. And the former European Ryder Cup star has performed extremely well in the Royal and Ancient Game's most prestigious competition in recent seasons.

He finished in the top 10 at Royal Lytham and St Annes last year and has been placed in the top 30 in five out of his last six appearances.

"I am hitting the ball okay and I am really looking forward to playing here in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart this week," said Jimenez.

"The first time I had played in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart was last year. I thought it was a nice course and a nice tournament and that is why I came back to play. Otherwise, I would be at home.

"The weather we have had so far this week has been fantastic. It will show the course and Scotland off well if it stays like this during the tournament.

"And I think it is always nice to play a links course in a competition the week before The Open. It helps me to adjust to a different style of golf.

"For me, it is the best thing that you can do, to come here and play in the same sort of conditions that you will be playing in during The Open.

"If, for example, it is windy at Muirfield next week, as it is sure to be at some point, then having played at Castle Stuart in wind will have prepared you.

"You have to concentrate in this tournament, try your hardest over every shot, to get used to playing the way we will have to in The Open next week."

Unlike the overwhelming majority of his shots, McDowell was well wide of the mark with his criticism of the Castle Stuart course outside Inverness.

The Gil Hanse/Mark Parsinen-designed track is, in actual fact, the perfect venue for a tournament the week before The Open Championship is held. Its close proximity to the Moray Firth, its deep pot bunkers and its wickedly- undulating greens allow players to familiarise themselves with the dubious delights of seaside golf.

However, its generous fairways mean that is nowhere near as demanding as the notoriously difficult course that awaits them in East Lothian next week.

To take the Scottish Open to a "classic links course" – and next year it will move to Royal Aberdeen for the first time – could actually backfire on organisers.

Holding it at Carnoustie, the brutal Angus course, in 1995 and 1996 certainly proved highly unpopular with the players as it took so much out of them before The Open.

Martin Laird, the Glasgow golfer who is based on the US PGA Tour, is also here this week to prepare for The Open and is adamant he has made the right decision.

He said: "I was a bit surprised to hear Graeme's comments. This is a great event. I played with Phil Mickelson in three rounds here last year and he raves about this place.

"I think it is a great golf course. It isn't like an Open Championship course in that there is a little bit more room off the tee. But everything else is exactly the same.

"A fine balance has to be struck. Majors are always a long week. There is a lot going on and the course is going to be tough. You are exhausted at the end.

"Personally, I wouldn't want to go somewhere that was just as hard the week before. Playing at Castle Stuart is perfect preparation."