Rory McIlroy kicked off his preparations for the upcoming Open Championship impressively by shooting a five-under-par 65, putting him in a five-way tie for the lead at the Genesis Scottish Open. The leaderboard also includes Bernd Wiesberger, Tom Kim, Patrick Cantlay, and Rasmus Højgaard.
Indian-origin players had a mixed start on the opening day, with Sudarshan Yellamaraju posting a two-under 68 to be tied for 26th place. Sahith Theegala shot an even-par 70, while Aaron Rai struggled with a one-over 71, needing a strong performance in the next round to make the cut.
McIlroy, coming off a tied 32nd finish at the U.S. Open, had a slow start but surged back with an eagle and birdies. Cantlay had a flawless round with five birdies, Wiesberger showed resilience with seven birdies, Kim continued his good form, and Højgaard briefly led before settling for a share of the lead.
The competition remains tight, with many players under par after the first day. Notable names like Brooks Koepka are just one stroke behind the leaders, with a group of seven players at four-under 66. The field includes various top players like Robert MacIntyre, Danny Willett, and Tommy Fleetwood, with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler also in contention.
