​Rory McIlroy is glad to be back playing links golf, and his opening round at The Renaissance Club showed it. The three-time major champion fired a 5-under 65 to sit atop a crowded leaderboard, as he pursues his second Genesis Scottish Open title. He shares the early lead with Patrick Cantlay, Bernd Wiesberger, and Tom Kim, signaling that he’s right in the mix once again.
“I played the par 5s well,” McIlroy said on Thursday. “I think I hit all three greens in regulation. One putt dropped for eagle and there were two two-putt birdies. That always helps the card. 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.”
McIlroy, 37, finished with five birdies and an eagle against two bogeys, performing better than most of his group. He was paired with Robert MacIntyre, the 2024 champion who opened with 67, and Chris Gotterup, the reigning champion who began with 68 after winning the John Deere Classic last weekend. McIlroy beat MacIntyre by a single stroke in 2023, and this year’s pairing delivered another tight battle to set the tone for the week.
Even with fewer starts lately, McIlroy’s round reflected a strong, steady game. He has been playing a lighter schedule, tallying only five starts in the past three months, a choice he explained in terms of balance and family time. “The benefits are seeing my family more,” he said when asked about the pros and cons of cutting back. “Feeling like I have a bit more balance in my life.” He added that, despite a relatively sparse recent schedule, the quality of his tournament starts remains high, suggesting that the lighter load hasn’t slowed his readiness or practice. “I feel like even though I have played pretty sparsely over the past few months, the starts of my tournaments have all been really good. So it’s not like I’m coming in and starting slow, and the little bit of extra practice I think actually helps in some ways.”
Another factor in his mindset is the absence of the career Grand Slam as an immediate, looming target. He touched on the shift in pressure and the sense of liberation that comes with not carrying that burden. “A decade?” he asked when the interviewer wondered how long the Grand Slam pressure would be off. “Well, hope so.” He tempered expectation with realism: “We’ll see. It’s a very liberating feeling, but again, I can’t get complacent. I still need to set goals. Scottie [Scheffler] talked about it at Shinnecock a couple of weeks ago, like if he were to go win the Grand Slam, the goal posts move and you have to figure out what else you want to do.” McIlroy’s perspective this year has been consistent: the Grand Slam was a destination last year, but the journey continues, and there will always be goals to chase as long as he remains on the tour.
McIlroy’s Thursday performance felt like a well-rounded display, from driving precision to a smooth putting stroke. It wasn’t necessarily the course itself that unlocked his success, but rather his complete game being sharp across the board. The day underscored that he’s fully engaged with the event and ready to challenge for the title while also embracing the personal balance he’s crafted on tour. As the round concluded, he carried momentum, confidence, and a strong sense that his links golf form has returned with purpose.