Genesis Scottish Open: Rory McIlroy 4 off early lead after late birdie burst in opening spherical on the Renaissance Membership | Golf Information
Rory McIlroy produced a superb late birdie burst to remain inside 4 strokes of the lead after a low-scoring opening spherical on the Genesis Scottish Open.
McIlroy birdied every of his final three holes to card a two-under 68 on the Renaissance Membership, as 4 gamers shared the early lead on the occasion co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.
Ryder Cup team-mate Sepp Straka carded a six-under 64 to high the leaderboard alongside Jake Knapp, Nico Echavarria and Victor Perez, with Scotland’s Calum Hill and England’s Marco Penge among the many quartet a stroke again in tied-fifth.
Viktor Hovland and former US Open champion Wyndham Clark had been within the group two off the lead and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler opened with a three-under 67, as 32 gamers had been separated by simply three strokes after the opening day.
McIlroy was joined on two beneath by defending champion Robert MacIntyre and two-time main winner Xander Schauffele, who will look to defend his title at The Open subsequent week, whereas US Open champion JJ Spaun and Tommy Fleetwood each posted level-par 70s.
Joint-leader Knapp, who’s making his first look on the Scottish Open, mentioned: “I undoubtedly cannot complain! Obtained a number of putts to fall early.
“Obtained one to fall, which I wasn’t anticipating to go in. So it is all the time good when you possibly can have one thing like that to get the spherical began.”
How McIlroy made sturdy end to opening day
McIlroy – the 2023 champion – made a three-putt bogey on the par-four first and adopted a long-range two-putt birdie on the par-five third with a dropped shot on the fifth, the place he holed from eight ft to restrict the harm to a bogey.
The Masters champion responded by making a close-range birdie on the ‘stadium gap’ par-three sixth, though was over par for the event when a run of pars was ended when he discovered the golf green bunker off the tee and bogeyed the fifteenth.
McIlroy began his swashbuckling end by tapping in on the par-five sixteenth, having come shut together with his eagle try, then adopted a 25-foot birdie on the par-four seventeenth by rolling in from 20 ft for an additional on the par-four final.
Rory McIlroy will probably be among the many favourites to win The Open at Royal Portrush, stay on Sky Sports activities from July 17
The main three gamers – not already exempt – who make the minimize this week will qualify for The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.
“I undoubtedly completed the spherical higher than I began it. It felt prefer it was a little bit of a gradual begin,” mentioned McIlroy.
“I believe whenever you come again over right here, hyperlinks greens, they’re so much slower than what we’re used to. So 3-putt on 1, after which did properly, however then 3-putt 2nd as properly. In order that bought me off and working. Then I felt like I performed some good golf after that.
“Clearly completed nice. I struggled a bit in left-to-right wind. Proper-to-left winds I used to be okay with. However appeared just like the holes I bought myself in hassle was when the wind was to the left. One thing to attempt to work on over the subsequent three days.”
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