GULLANE – Rory McIlroy felt he had no choice but to be content with a 4-under 66 result that gave him a head start at the Scottish Open on Friday. He also couldn’t help but wonder how much lower his score could have been.
McIlroy missed nine putts from 10 feet or closer — eight of those birdie chances — then pocketed a five-foot par on the 18th to put himself ahead of Tyrrell Hatton, Tom Kim and Byeong Hun An at the Renaissance Club.
“I felt I hit the ball really well from the tee to the green,” said McIlroy. “I was indulging in a lot of birdie putts out there. I haven’t made as many as I would like, but I can only be satisfied. I’m looking forward to being in the race next weekend.”
McIlroy has never won in Scotland – never even finished in the top 10 in his seven previous attempts as a professional – and looks to be back on track with the final Major next week at the British Open at the Royal Liverpool.
He was at 10-under 130.
An, who had a career-low 61 in the opening round, was down to 70 in the afternoon as the rain, which had been little more than a nuisance, finally bare the umbrellas for the past two hours. He missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have led McIlroy to equalize.
“Yesterday was much calmer in comparison and today is much windier and then it rained and it’s hard to judge the distance,” An said. “I got some good shots out there but not close enough to land a birdie putt. I’m only one back so we’ll see in the next two days.”
Hatton had a 62 while Kim had a 65. At the Scottish Open a year ago, Kim finished second while playing on a sponsorship waiver, a result that saw him earn unlimited waivers and turn one of them into his first PGA Tour win.
“Just something about this place,” Kim said. “I had a great week last year and was really looking forward to coming back. And it’s nice to be able to play well in the first two rounds and hopefully try to keep creating chances at the weekend.”
World No. 1 player Scottie Scheffler had a 65 and along with 51-year-old Padraig Harrington (66) came within three strokes of the lead.
McIlroy missed the cut when he was last at the Renaissance Club in 2021. He didn’t play last year before the British Open and had a two-week break this time.
The British Open takes place at the Royal Liverpool, where McIlroy won in 2014. It has been nine years since his last win at a Major and last month he missed another chance to end the losing streak at the US Open when he finished a place behind Wyndham Clark.
He really didn’t seem badly rusted, especially on his irons and wedge. He shot a wedge at the flag on the opening hole from 6 feet from the yardie and set the tone for the day – at least with his approach shots.
“Honestly, I felt like 4 under was probably the worst I could have shot out there,” he said.
He’s going to have a rough weekend due to the weather. Rain and wind are forecast for Saturday, which has resulted in tours bringing start times forward from 7am to 9am to avoid heavy weather in the afternoon. The strongest wind of the week was forecast for Sunday.
Some players don’t have to deal with the weather because they missed the cut, including Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Among them was Nicolas Colsaerts, who viewed his exciting day with mixed feelings. Colsaerts finally got a hole-in-one on the European tour, a career dream. It came on the 14th hole and while following that with a bogey, he responded with another eagle on the par 5 16th hole and then birdie on the 17th hole to land inside the cut line.
And then on the 18th he missed a 30 inch putt and missed the cut by one shot.
He still left with a smile.
“Look, I mean, I’ve been looking for a hole-in-one in professional golf for over 20 years,” Colsaerts said. “I just hit a full wedge right on my right line. You can’t really see the ball going in, but the reaction from the stands, the arms in the air and the shouts, that’s something I’ll remember for a long time.”
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