Rory McIlroy seemed like probably the greatest gamers on this planet on Thursday on the Genesis Scottish Open, his first spherical since his heartbreaking collapse eventually month’s U.S. Open.
The Northern Irishman sizzled across the Renaissance Club, the Scottish seaside hyperlinks the place he gained final 12 months. McIlroy signed for a 5-under 65, and and trails Justin Thomas by three strokes. He sits in a tie for eighth after day one.
“My recreation has been feeling fairly good in apply during the last ten or so days since I picked the membership again up. Obviously, the final time I performed, I performed effectively. I didn’t get the end result I wished, however I nonetheless have loads of confidence in my recreation,” McIlroy mentioned.
“I went on the market at the moment, shot a strong rating. There are a pair I’d have favored to gap coming in and be a number of pictures decrease, however total, it was an excellent begin to the event. Yeah, I type of picked up the place I left off.”
McIlroy’s 65 is the bottom opening-round rating by a defending Scottish Open champion, in accordance with golf statistician guru Justin Ray. He made 5 birdies and holed a chip-in eagle at the par-5 3rd, however two bogies prevented him from going any decrease than 5-under.
“Sort of missed it in a great spot on 3, however type of the great factor about this course is even once you miss it on the brief facet, it looks as if you at all times have some type of shot to get it shut,” McIlroy mentioned of his eagle.
“And there, I simply wanted to hit a little bit bump, let it pitch on the perimeter, run right down to the outlet, and I judged it properly.”
McIlroy seemed strong for many of the day in Scotland, and he has put himself in an amazing place to maybe win for the third time in 2024 and grow to be the primary back-to-back winner of the Genesis Scottish Open.
The benign wind circumstances helped his trigger, however everybody else needed to play this course, too. And but, McIlroy performed higher than most each different participant.
“The wind, from being a four-club wind final 12 months on Sunday, it was a couple of one-club wind on the market [on Thursday]. There was a little bit little bit of breeze however nothing too testing, and the golf course is fairly receptive,” McIlroy defined.
“We’ve had loads of rain right here over the previous couple of days, and , it’s actually as gettable as I’ve seen it. You must go on the market and put up an honest quantity to get your self proper within the event.”
McIlroy did simply that.
Now the query is, can he redeem his powerful end at Pinehurst No. 2 with a bounce-back victory in Scotland?
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be certain to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
