​NORTH BERWICK, Scotland — Rory McIlroy took advantage of the scoring holes in the blustery wind and fired a 4-under 66 to share the lead, tied for the top spot at the Scottish Open along with two others, as the event marked a change in the field with Scottie Scheffler no longer in the mix after a rough day. While McIlroy appeared entirely comfortable amid the gusts, Scheffler knew from the outset that his round wasn’t going to be pretty. He closed with a 72, ending his streak of 78 consecutive made cuts, the longest run since Tiger Woods’ 142-cut streak which stood for more than two decades. Scheffler admitted his start set the tone and that he couldn’t press enough to create meaningful looks, which is how you end up over par.
Jordan Smith of England posted the tournament’s low score so far, a 63, finishing the opening 36 holes at 9-under 131 to take the early lead. He was soon joined at the top by a resurgent Tom Kim, who shot 66, and by McIlroy, who is chasing a return to form after winning back-to-back majors at The Masters in April but has not claimed a title since.
“It would have been nice to be a couple better,” McIlroy said, acknowledging that while the day wasn’t perfect, it was another strong performance that left him in a favorable position as the weekend approaches. The Renaissance Club yielded a round that featured McIlroy benefiting from a new wedge that is helping him manage firm turf at both Renaissance and the upcoming Royal Birkdale layout for the British Open.
Yet, the biggest surprise of the day was Scheffler’s status, as he did not go to the practice range after his round but instead began making travel plans that would take him south earlier than expected for his title defense at Royal Birkdale. He hadn’t missed a cut since the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship, a streak that had stood as one of the enduring constants in the sport.
Closely following Scheffler in the oddity department were Patrick Cantlay and Bernd Wiesberger, who became the first players since Jordan Spieth at the 2023 Sony Open to share the 18-hole lead and then miss the cut. Cantlay posted a 74, and Wiesberger battled a difficult back nine, carding a 43 on the way to a 78. One-time former near-leader Brooks Koepka also failed to make the weekend after a round that left him on the wrong side of the cut line.
McIlroy’s Scottish Open win three years ago served as a reminder of his ability to rise to the occasion, and he reported benefiting from a fresh wedge that improved his interaction with firm turf at The Renaissance Club and ahead of the Open at Royal Birkdale. Despite the strong markers in the field, he remains mindful of the challenge the leaderboard will present as the weekend unfolds.
In a strong early showing, Smith put together four straight birdies on the back nine, all within 10 feet, demonstrating his readiness to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Kim, who tied for third at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, followed a dramatic moment with a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 seventh, finishing his round with two birdies on his last five holes. He has been trending upward after slipping out of the world’s top 100, climbing back with a solid run that included his U.S. Open performance and a continued push toward the British Open.
“I think being under the radar was kind of nice, just to work on my game and keep getting better,” Kim explained. “Not being in the spotlight all the time means you don’t see everything, you don’t see all the good stuff. I knew I was really, really close, and I’m still working toward trying to be the best I can be. But all those little things kept adding up, and I think it’s shown the last couple weeks.”
Matt Fitzpatrick delivered a 65, placing him one shot behind the leaders alongside Min Woo Lee, with a group at 133 that also included defending champion Chris Gotterup and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who is eager to continue contending as the weekend arrives. The field looks set for an intriguing chase as wind-driven conditions persist and the battle for the title tightens into the crucial stages of the tournament.