Rory McIlroy is among five golfers sharing the lead after the opening round of the Genesis Scottish Open. He is joined at the top of the leaderboard by Patrick Cantlay, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tom Kim, and Bernd Wiesberger. The tournament, held at The Renaissance Club, also sees Scottie Scheffler in contention after his initial performance.
McIlroy, making his first appearance since the US Open, posted a five-under 65. This score places him in a strong position, three years after his previous victory at the event. His round included an eagle, five birdies, and two bogeys, demonstrating a solid start to the competition.
Leaderboard remains tight
The leaderboard is notably congested, with 71 players separated by only five strokes following the first round. Among those a single shot off the pace is Brooks Koepka, part of a seven-strong group. Further back, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood are in a group two shots behind the leaders, which also includes local favourite Bob MacIntyre and US Open champion Wyndham Clark.
Scottie Scheffler is three shots behind the leaders, alongside defending champion Chris Gotterup. Scheffler’s round of two-under 68 featured four birdies and two bogeys. He commented on his performance, stating he did some good things but wished he could have achieved a few more shots, noting that the two bogeys were a setback and he felt he could have played the par-fives more effectively.
McIlroy’s round began on the back nine, where he bogeyed his opening hole. However, he quickly recovered with a two-putt birdie on the par-five 12th, followed by additional gains on the 14th and 16th holes. Despite failing to save par at the 18th, he secured an 18-foot eagle on the par-five first hole. He continued to find success on his second nine, with back-to-back gains from the seventh hole.
McIlroy reflected on his play, highlighting his driving. He mentioned that he felt he drove the ball particularly well, a continuation of what he observed at Shinnecock during the US Open. He believes that consistently putting the ball in play allows him to attack courses and create scoring opportunities, which he achieved during the opening round.
Competitors’ performances
Patrick Cantlay delivered a bogey-free round with five birdies. Bernd Wiesberger briefly held the sole lead before a bogey on his penultimate hole. Rasmus Hojgaard also reached six under par but a double-bogey on the par-four 16th impacted his progress. Hojgaard was the top performer in the afternoon wave after a birdie on the par-three 17th, though he could not secure another on the final hole to reclaim the lead. Tom Kim completed the leading quintet with his five-under 65.
Wyndham Clark is within two shots of the lead despite recording a double-bogey and a bogey within his first four holes. Meanwhile, PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai posted a one-over 71, and Jon Rahm required two late birdies to finish with a three-over 73.
McIlroy has spoken about the advantages of a lighter playing schedule, noting that it allows him to spend more time with his family and achieve a better life balance. He also suggested that this approach helps maintain his enthusiasm for the game, which he considers important almost 20 years into his career. He finds it to be a liberating feeling, though he acknowledges the need to remain focused and set new goals.
He observed that despite playing less frequently in recent months, his tournament starts have been strong, indicating that the reduced schedule has not led to slow beginnings. McIlroy believes that the additional practice time has been beneficial. He also expressed his enjoyment of returning to Europe to play, appreciating the links golf courses and the crowds, which he finds reminiscent of his early experiences in the sport.
The Genesis Scottish Open is considered to have one of the strongest fields of the season outside of the major championships, featuring many top players from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf. Live coverage of the tournament continues on Friday from 8:30 am on Sky Sports Golf.
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Source: skysports.com