Rory McIlroy walked off the course Thursday feeling good about his 65, despite a couple of short-range putts he would have liked to convert, as he shared the first-round lead at the Scottish Open in North Berwick, Scotland.
McIlroy sits at 5-under alongside Tom Kim of South Korea, Bernd Wiesberger of Austria, and Patrick Cantlay — one stroke ahead of a group that includes Brooks Koepka, Min Woo Lee of Australia, and Patrick Reed, among others tied for fifth place.
Several competitors were still making their way around the course, including Scottie Scheffler, who had carded a birdie on the par-3 ninth hole and stood at 2-under through nine holes.
McIlroy’s round got off to a rocky start, but he steadied himself with back-to-back birdies and a clutch sand save for par at the ninth hole. That recovery helped offset two bogeys — one on his opening hole, the 10th, and another at the 18th. A highlight of the day was a brilliant eagle on the par-5 first hole, which stretches beyond 600 yards this week, with McIlroy crediting his putter for that moment.
