Rory McIlroy is among five golfers sharing the early lead at the Genesis Scottish Open following the opening round. Scottie Scheffler is also in contention on a congested leaderboard at The Renaissance Club.
McIlroy, making his first start since the US Open, posted a five-under 65. He is tied for the top spot with Patrick Cantlay, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tom Kim, and Bernd Wiesberger. McIlroy’s round included an eagle, five birdies, and two bogeys.
The world number two bogeyed his first hole after starting on the back nine but quickly responded with a two-putt birdie at the par-five 12th. He then picked up further shots at the 14th and 16th holes. Despite failing to save par at the 18th, McIlroy secured an 18-foot eagle at the par-five first hole.
McIlroy noted that he drove the ball particularly well, a continuation of form he observed at the US Open. He believes that putting the ball in play allows him to attack courses and create scoring opportunities, which he demonstrated during the round.
Patrick Cantlay completed a bogey-free round with five birdies. Bernd Wiesberger briefly held the solo lead before a bogey on his penultimate hole. Rasmus Hojgaard reached six under par but a double-bogey at the par-four 16th affected his progress. Hojgaard was the best performer in the afternoon wave after a birdie at the par-three 17th.
Tom Kim also carded a five-under 65 earlier in the day to join the leading quintet. The leaderboard remains tight, with 71 players separated by five strokes after the initial round.
Among those a shot off the pace is Brooks Koepka, part of a group of seven players. Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood are two shots behind the leaders, in a group that includes home favourite Bob MacIntyre and US Open champion Wyndham Clark.
Clark sits within two shots of the lead despite recording a double-bogey and a bogey within his first four holes. Clark has a strong history at The Renaissance Club, never finishing worse than T25 in his four appearances there. His career average of +1.69 strokes gained per round at the course is his third-best at any venue he has played at least three times.
Scottie Scheffler is three shots behind the leaders, alongside defending champion Chris Gotterup. Scheffler’s round of two-under 68 included four birdies and two bogeys. Scheffler commented on his round, stating he did some good things but wished he could have gained a few more shots. He expressed disappointment over the two bogeys and felt he could have played the par-fives more effectively.
Scheffler will be looking to defend his title at The Open next week. The PGA TOUR‘s alliance with the DP World Tour is evident at this event, which is co-sanctioned by both tours for the fifth consecutive year. This tournament also offers a final opportunity for players to qualify for next week’s Open Championship.
All three of the 2026 major champions are participating this week, along with other notable players, including Scottie Scheffler, who is considered the betting favourite. The Renaissance Club has hosted the event for seven consecutive years. The course, designed by Tom Doak and constructed in 2008, is known for its links challenge and rugged terrain, with coastal winds often influencing play.
Winning scores at The Renaissance Club have varied significantly in recent years, ranging from seven-under to 18-under, largely due to weather conditions. Rory McIlroy, a previous champion of the Scottish Open, has a strong record at The Renaissance Club, gaining an average of 2.18 strokes per round over five trips, which is the best mark among players in this field.
McIlroy’s driving has been particularly effective, gaining multiple strokes off the tee in eight consecutive events, contributing to a runner-up finish at The Genesis Invitational, a win at the Masters, and a T7 at the PGA Championship.
Wyndham Clark has been in strong form recently. In his last five starts, he has gained 3.21 strokes per round, with an even split between tee-to-green play and putting. Jake Knapp, returning from an injury that sidelined him for two months, showed improvement in his last outing at the Travelers Championship, where he shot rounds of 67-64-69 over the final three days.
Nicolai Hojgaard, despite a recent period of missed cuts, found form at the Travelers Championship, finishing T14. He gained 4.49 strokes from tee to green and over 2.5 strokes putting over the final three rounds there. Hojgaard has four top-five finishes this year and has performed well in Scotland, with a T4 finish last year and a T6 in 2023.
Live coverage of the Genesis Scottish Open continues on Friday from 8:30 am.
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Source: skysports.com
Adam Rutherford is a Senior Football Correspondent at News-UK. He spent his early career filing match reports across the North West. He focuses on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Manchester Metropolitan University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Manchester, he coaches a youth team and watches grassroots football. “Every transfer window hides a dozen real stories.”
