Really good start – Rory McIlroy eyeing Scottish Open glory before Hoylake test

Byeong Hun An holds lead after equalling course record

Rory McIlroy set his sights on heading to Hoylake on the back of victory in the Genesis Scottish Open after enjoying a superb start to the £7million event.

McIlroy recorded an eagle and six birdies in an opening six-under-par 64 at The Renaissance Club that left him three shots off the lead held by South Korea’s Byeong Hun An, whose flawless 61 equalled the course record.

“It’s a really good start,” McIlroy said. “I’ve not had particularly great results around this course the last couple of times but I feel like my game is definitely in better shape now.

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy recorded an eagle and six birdies in an opening six-under-par 64 (Steve Welsh/PA)

“I feel like I’m coming in here playing really good golf, producing good results and getting myself in contention and I’m just really trying to do the same things and adapt to the different conditions we’re going to face over the next couple of weeks.”

Next week is, of course, the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where McIlroy won the third of his four major titles nine years ago.

“My mind is pretty much on this week,” the 34-year-old added. “I’ve got myself off to a great start and I would love to win the Scottish Open.

“That’s a massive deal in its own right and what that could give me going into the summer… look we’ve got the Open Championship next week but thinking ahead to FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai and all that, it’s an important week.

“I’m focused on this week but it’s great that by playing this week I should be getting a little bit more prepared for links golf again next week as well.

“I didn’t touch my clubs for 10 days after the Travelers but I’ve got some really good feelings in my swing that I think are quite consistent and even if I do take a bit of time away I feel really comfortable getting back into it.

“It was a nice reset but after today it feels like I came back where I left off.”

An, who was the youngest ever winner of the US Amateur as a 17-year-old in 2009, carded nine birdies to enjoy a two-shot lead over American Davis Riley, with Thomas Detry alongside McIlroy on six under.

“I feel like I’m back home,” said An, who won the 2015 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth by six shots but now plays primarily on the PGA Tour.

“This is the Tour I started my professional career. It’s been great coming back and playing links golf. I couldn’t play any better today, I drove it well and hit it well and chipped it well and putted well. That’s a clean scorecard.”

Detry came agonisingly close to winning one of the sponsor’s cars for himself and his caddie with a hole-in-one on the 17th, but was delighted to be back at one of his favourite venues.

“It was inches away so I’m looking forward to seeing the highlights of that shot,” said Detry, who finished 10th last year and lost out in a play-off with Matt Fitzpatrick and eventual winner Min Woo Lee in 2021.

“It’s my playground here. I always play well. I have a lovely little cottage out here on the golf course. I’m staying here with my family and everybody is happy. I feel good.

Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson led the home challenge following a four-under-par 66, with world number one Scottie Scheffler two strokes further back.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele had to birdie two of his last four holes to return a level-par 70.

Pos.PlayerTo ParR1
1AN, Byeong Hun-961
2RILEY, Davis-763
3MCILROY, Rory-664
DETRY, Thomas-664
5LEE, K.H.-565
PAUL, Yannik-565
7LINGMERTH, David-466
BEKKER, Oliver-466
FERGUSON, Ewen-466
GORDON, Will-466
KIM, Tom-466
FISHER, Ross-466
HOMA, Max-466
BRUN, Julien-466
15COLE, Eric-367
HARMAN, Brian-367
LAWRENCE, Thriston-367
OLESEN, Thorbjørn-367
BURNS, Sam-367
MACINTYRE, Robert-367
HIGGO, Garrick-367
SÖDERBERG, Sebastian-367
VÄLIMÄKI, Sami-367
FOWLER, Rickie-367
HARRINGTON, Padraig-367
26PULKKANEN, Tapio-268
SHARMA, Shubhankar-268
WU, Dylan-268
SIEM, Marcel-268
TAYLOR, Nick-268
LEE, Min Woo-268
THOMAS, Justin-268
FITZPATRICK, Matt-268
LOMBARD, Zander-268
WU, Ashun-268
MIGLIOZZI, Guido-268
SYME, Connor-268
CLARK, Wyndham-268
SCHEFFLER, Scottie-268
HODGES, Lee-268
SMITH, Jordan-268
ROZNER, Antoine-268
MITCHELL, Keith-268
HOFFMAN, Charley-268
HILLIER, Daniel-268
46SCHNEIDER, Marcel-169
CROCKER, Sean-169
STRYDOM, Ockie-169
GAVINS, Daniel-169
CABRERA BELLO, Rafa-169
FORSSTRÖM, Simon-169
WILSON, Oliver-169
POSTON, J.T.-169
WHITNELL, Dale-169
JORDAN, Matthew-169
LAGERGREN, Joakim-169
KIM, S.H.-169
KIEFFER, Maximilian-169
GRIFFIN, Ben-169
BEZUIDENHOUT, Christiaan-169
HUGHES, Mackenzie-169
HOGE, Tom-169
FOX, Ryan-169
MANSELL, Richard-169
BRADBURY, Dan-169
FORREST, Grant-169
NOREN, Alex-169
HORSCHEL, Billy-169
PEREZ, Victor-169
HATTON, Tyrrell-169
LIST, Luke-169
ARNAUS, Adri-169
GREEN, Gavin-169
74MARTIN, BenPar70
KIM, BioPar70
MONTGOMERY, TaylorPar70
LUITEN, JoostPar70
IM, SungjaePar70
MOLINARI, EdoardoPar70
LARRAZÁBAL, PabloPar70
FLEETWOOD, TommyPar70
SCHAUFFELE, XanderPar70
SAMOOJA, KallePar70
DONALD, LukePar70
CAMPILLO, JorgePar70
PUTNAM, AndrewPar70
LAW, DavidPar70
ZANOTTI, FabrizioPar70
RYDER, SamPar70
HØJGAARD, NicolaiPar70
WOODLAND, GaryPar70
RODGERS, PatrickPar70
STALLINGS, ScottPar70
ROSE, JustinPar70
HILL, CalumPar70
LANGASQUE, RomainPar70
MCKIBBIN, TomPar70
TAYLOR, BenPar70
99SMALLEY, Alex+171
WARING, Paul+171
THEEGALA, Sahith+171
JAMIESON, Scott+171
DAVIS, Cam+171
OTAEGUI, Adrian+171
MERONK, Adrian+171
MOLINARI, Francesco+171
RAI, Aaron+171
HERBERT, Lucas+171
RAMSAY, Richie+171
ABERG, Ludvig+171
BALDWIN, Matthew+171
BLAIR, Zac+171
SOUTHGATE, Matthew+171
BRAMLETT, Joseph+171
MERRITT, Troy+171
KITAYAMA, Kurt+171
BJÖRK, Alexander+171
ECKROAT, Austin+171
DONALDSON, Jamie+171
LOWRY, Shane+171
HALL, Harry+171
VON DELLINGSHAUSEN, Nicolai+171
123KIM, Michael+272
SPIETH, Jordan+272
YU, Kevin+272
CANTLAY, Patrick+272
ENDYCOTT, Harrison+272
BADDELEY, Aaron+272
GHIM, Doug+272
WALLACE, Matt+272
WALTERS, Justin+272
CONNERS, Corey+272
WALKER, Jimmy+272
VAN ROOYEN, Erik+272
SCOTT, Adam+272
PAVON, Matthieu+272
137SHELTON, Robby+373
BACHEM, Nick+373
BESSELING, Wil+373
PAN, C.T.+373
SHINKWIN, Callum+373
COLSAERTS, Nicolas+373
HANNA, Chase+373
PEPPERELL, Eddie+373
HOVLAND, Viktor+373
HØJGAARD, Rasmus+373
TARREN, Callum+373
148LONG, Hurly+474
ARMITAGE, Marcus+474
WILLETT, Danny+474
151KIM, Yeongsu+575
LI, Haotong+575
WU, Brandon+575
154SEO, Yoseop+676
155FRITTELLI, Dylan+878
RETDPOWER, Seamus+2-
Updated: September 23, 2024