Rory McIlroy salvages his opening round with a superb finish as Sepp Straka defies his own "very low expectations" to share the Scottish Open lead.

Sepp Straka had eight birdies in his round of 64, also joined by Nico Echavarria and Victor Perez atop the leaderboard alongside Knapp. Four other players were one shot behind, while Scottie Scheffler had to settle for a 67 and was three back.

Rory McIlroy joked he could play in any era of professional golf, and his approach to the game reinforces that notion.

McIlroy has played this event twice since he became co-sanctioned in 2022, winning in 2023 and finishing T-4 last year. He closed well at the U.S. Open and carried that over into the Travelers Championship where he tied for sixth, so he's gaining some momentum as he regains his focus before next week's Open.

Rory McIlroy showed the utmost respect for the sporting longevity he himself has achieved and gave examples of stars from other sports in comparison.

McIlroy emerged victorious at the 2023 edition of the Scottish Open, beating home hopeful Robert MacIntyre, who went on to win the title last year, by one stroke

Before the 2025 Scottish Open, Rory McIlroy had an unexpected encounter with comedian Troy Hawke, known for his quirky greetings. Hawke, dressed in a

The PGA Tour is set to begin its first of back-to-back tournaments in Europe with the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, on Thursday. The 2025 Scottish Open will be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour for the fourth straight year.