NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Rory McIlroy began getting into the mood for the final major of the year by taking advantage of the par 5s at The Renaissance Club for a 5-under 65, giving him a four-way share of the lead among the early starters Thursday in the Genesis Scottish Open.
Patrick Cantlay made a little noise in an otherwise quiet year for the American with five birdies in 10 holes and then a collection of tough par saves at the end that felt just as valuable. He also was at 65, along with Tom Kim and Bernd Wiesberger.
Brooks Koepka was among those one shot behind.
Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, was among those playing in the afternoon on a glorious summer day along the Firth of Forth.
McIlroy holed an 18-foot eagle putt on the par-5 first hole — he started his round on No. 10 — to go along with a pair of birdies on the other two par 5s at The Renaissance Club. That made his round and his scorecard feel a little better.
He has been away the last two weeks since a pedestrian performance in the U.S. Open, though the brand of golf doesn’t feel entirely different. Shinnecock Hills might be as close to links golf as any course in America. The Renaissance Club has the look of links, though it is not links turf.
The real test is Royal Birkdale next week for the British Open.
“I felt like I drove the ball particularly well, and I started to see that at Shinnecock, as well,” McIlroy said. “A continuation of putting the ball in play, and then once I do that, I feel like I can attack courses and I can set up scoring opportunities. I did that today.”
Cantlay hasn’t won in nearly four years and slipped to No. 37 in the world after missing the cut in the U.S. Open, his lowest ranking in more than eight years. He’s had three top 10s and four other finishes in the top 20. It hasn’t been horrible, but he has lacked a spark and might have found one.
He went to a slightly heavier putter to account for the slower greens this week and next, and it paid off in birdies and pars. Most impressive was his finish. He found a pot bunker off the tee on the par-5 seventh and could only get that back to the fairway, leaving him 261 yards for his third shot. He wound up getting up-and-down and saving par with a 13-foot putt.
He saved par with a 5-foot putt on the eighth and then got up-and-down from just inside 100 feet off the ninth green to keep a clean card.
“I’ve been putting in some hard work with my team, and have got some important golf the rest of the year,” Cantlay said.
The Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the European tour and PGA Tour, the ideal place to be for those wanting to get acclimated for the British Open, whether it’s the seaside air, the time zone or a slightly slower set of greens.
It’s also a last chance for the likes of Michael Thorbjornsen, among those at 67. The leading three players not already eligible get a spot at Royal Birkdale. Thorbjornsen is fourth alternate.
Koepka, who appears to be past that mysterious nerve issue in his left hand that caused him to pull out of the Canadian Open when he was off to a good start, felt that putting is all that has slowed him this year. That much was evident when he missed four putts from 7 feet or under, one of them from 20 inches. He also rolled in three birdie putts from outside 20 feet.
“It could have been a very, very good round. But then again, I’m happy with the way I battled back,” Koepka said. “That was solid. So hopefully take that into tomorrow.”
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press
