Former champions Rory McIlroy and Bernd Wiesberger were part of a five-way tie for the lead on a packed leaderboard after day one of the Genesis Scottish Open.
On a day of glorious sunshine and calm wind at The Renaissance Club, the pair – who have six Rolex Series titles between them – carded rounds of 65 to get to five under and join South Korea’s Tom Kim and American Patrick Cantlay at the summit.
South Africans Casey Jarvis, Jayden Schaper and Shaun Norris all finished -2 with Jacques Kruyswijk at -1 after he closed with two bogeys. He is joined in a share of 53rd by compatriot Ockie Strydom.
They were all briefly passed by Rasmus Højgaard as the twilight began to set in on the East Lothian coast but the Dane could not hold on and he too finished the day at five under.
There was then a group of seven players one shot off the lead made up of five-time Major winner Brooks Koepka, fellow Americans Kurt Kitayama, Andrew Novak and Michael Thorbjornsen, Australian Min Woo Lee and rising DP World Tour stars Angel Ayora and Oliver Lindell.
McIlroy revealed this week that he was learning to love The Renaissance Club and his 13 consecutive rounds in the 60s are testament to that.
Starting on the tenth, he sandwiched three birdies with bogeys on the tenth and 18th before an eagle on the first from 18 feet truly sparked his round into life.
He made it four under on the three par fives at the seventh before he holed from off the green on the next to join the leading trio of Kim, Cantlay and Wiesberger.
“I thought for the most part, I played well,” he said. “I felt like I drove the ball particularly well and I started to see that at Shinnecock as well a couple of weeks ago.
“A continuation of putting the ball in play and then once I do that, I feel like I can attack courses and I can set up scoring opportunities. I did that today.
“Overall, good to get my first round of competitive golf on a links golf course, and it’s obviously a great start to the tournament.”
Wiesberger was as low as 380th in the world earlier in the year but he is beginning to show signs of the form that saw him win this event and finish third on the Race to Dubai in 2019.
There were then 14 players two shots off the lead including local hero and 2024 champion Robert MacIntyre, fellow Scot Calum Hill, Major Champion Danny Willett and Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Article Link: McIlroy among leader logjam in Scotland