Rory McIlroy opens with 65 to share lead | Round 1 | Genesis Scottish Open | 2026

In the opening round of the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open, 2023 Genesis Scottish Open winner Rory McIlroy shoots a 5-under 65 and takes a share of the Thursday lead with four others.

The PGA TOUR heads across the Atlantic this week for the Genesis Scottish Open, where one of the strongest fields of the season assembles at The Renaissance Club for the final tune-up ahead of The Open Championship. Co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour, the event returns to the East Lothian venue for the eighth consecutive year. Defending champion Chris Gotterup arrives in Scotland riding plenty of momentum after winning the John Deere Classic, his third victory of the 2026 season, and will look to become the first player to successfully defend the Genesis Scottish Open title. Rory McIlroy also returns to one of his favourite venues, having finished T2, T4 and first over the past three editions, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler begins his Open Championship preparations after another remarkable season that has featured nine top-10 finishes in 14 starts. Major champions Aaron Rai and Wyndham Clark are also in the field, with Rai returning to the site of his 2020 victory and Clark looking to continue a superb run of form following his second U.S. Open title. Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Scotland's own Robert MacIntyre further strengthen a field that features six of the world's top 10 players. With 500 FedExCup points on offer and many of the game's biggest names making their final competitive start before The Open Championship, the Genesis Scottish Open once again promises to deliver one of the highlights of the summer golf calendar.