Rory McIlroy, Jordan Smith and Tom Kim reached nine under at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, where Smith’s 7-under 63 secured a share of the halfway lead. The Genesis Scottish Open remains tightly poised, with Matt Fitzpatrick and 2021 champion Min Woo Lee one shot behind after matching 65s. Defending champion Chris Gotterup and Scottish favourite Robert MacIntyre are among seven players at 7-under, leaving 17 competitors within three shots of the lead.

The tournament is the second Rolex Series event of the season and is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour. It also provides the leading players with their final competitive preparation before The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Smith charges into contention with 63

Smith began the second round three shots off the lead after an opening 66, but the Englishman quickly closed the gap after starting from the tenth tee.

Four consecutive birdies from the 11th moved him through the field before another gain at the 17th took him to the turn in 30. He then birdied the second and responded to his only bogey, at the sixth, with further birdies at the seventh and eighth.

The resulting 63 was the lowest round of the tournament through 36 holes. It also came in Smith’s first competitive appearance since the RBC Canadian Open almost a month ago.

“You’ve still got to hit the fairways and greens, but I think the putting today was a lot better than yesterday,” Smith said.

The 33-year-old has won the European Open and Portugal Masters, but victory in this Rolex Series field would be the largest title of his career. He is also the solo record holder for Rolex Series appearances, having played 52 of the 54 events available to him.

“I think if I can keep the same attitude I’ve had for the last two days, I’ll be very happy with that,” Smith said. “I think the swing is in a good place. Just hope that putter stays as hot as it was today.”

McIlroy and Kim stay at the top

McIlroy followed his opening 65 with a 66 as the afternoon wind strengthened around The Renaissance Club. A precise chip set up a birdie at the first, while further gains at the fifth, seventh and eighth helped the 2023 champion turn in 31.

A loose tee shot at the 13th produced his only bogey. McIlroy answered immediately by driving to 18 feet at the par-four 14th, although his eagle putt stayed out.

“I thought I played well again,” McIlroy said. “The wind definitely got up for us in the afternoon. We got off to a really nice start. Then sort of by the turn the wind had got to its strongest and felt like it was hard to get the ball close to the pins.”

McIlroy said the conditions allowed players to vary their trajectories and use the ground on approach shots. His record at the venue supports that comfort: he won here in 2023, finished joint fourth in 2024 and tied for second in 2025.

A second Scottish Open victory would give McIlroy five Rolex Series titles, matching the record shared by Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. He is also pursuing a fifth consecutive Race to Dubai title.

Kim’s strong record at The Renaissance Club reinforces his position. He finished third on his tournament debut in 2022 and has returned every year since, never placing worse than tied 17th.

The Korean recovered from a bogey at the third by holing a 40-foot eagle putt at the seventh. Birdies at the 13th, 16th and 17th completed another 66.

“I stayed really patient out there, just tried to position myself,” Kim said. “The wind got tricky a little bit as it started to pick up and obviously completely different wind than yesterday. So I think my experience over here the last few years has helped.”

Former champions lead the chasing pack

Fitzpatrick made eight birdies in his 65, including five consecutive gains from the 11th, while three bogeys kept him one shot behind. Lee combined an eagle at the par-5 12th and five birdies with three bogeys to join him at 8-under.

MacIntyre produced one of the round’s highlights when he holed a 30-foot putt at the stadium-style 15th. The 2024 champion signed for a 66 and shares sixth place with Gotterup, Joost Luiten, Keita Nakajima, Victor Perez, Nicolai von Dellingshausen and Sudarshan Yellamaraju.

Gotterup made six birdies in a 65 but dropped a shot at the final hole after finding trouble from the tee. US Open champion Wyndham Clark and former Masters winner Danny Willett are among the group another stroke back at six under.

McIlroy, Smith and Kim share the lead entering the weekend, with 17 players within three shots.

World No.1 misses cut

With a second-round 2-over 72, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s longest active streak of 78 made cuts on the PGA Tour came to an end. His last missed cut prior to this week was at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship/1,428 days ago). The FedExCup leader and 20-time PGA Tour winner snapped a streak of 35 straight top-25 finishes, the second most in the past 40 years (most: 38/Tiger Woods).

Related: Justin Rose Chases the Ultimate Storybook Ending at Royal Birkdale

Rose returns to the course where he burst onto the world stage as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998. At 45, with five major runner-up finishes behind him, the 154th Open offers a chance at closure few careers can match.

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