By Rahul Banerji
Rory McIlroy overcame 40 miles an hour winds and a one-shot deficit with two successive birdies to win his first Genesis Scottish Open title in North Berwick on Sunday.
It was the perfect warmup for the Northern Irishman ahead of this week’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, incidentally the first of his four major titles that came in 2014 on the same course.
McIlroy edged out local hero Robert Macintyre in the co-sanctioned $9 million PGA Tour and DP World Tour tournament by a stroke after closing with two stunning birdies for a 68.
It gave the overnight leader a winning total of 15-under 265 (64-66-67-68) after Macintyre had posted a superb 64 to back up cards of 67, 69 and 66 for his runner-up finish.
The result tied McIlroy with Dustin Johnson and Gary Player for 26th on the all-time PGA Tour winner’s list and made him the seventh player with multiple wins this season along with Jon Rahm, Keegan Bradley, Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Max Homa, and Scottie Scheffler.
Trailing by one and with MacIntyre in the clubhouse on 14-under, McIlroy produced two brilliant shots for birdies from about four and 11 feet to secure his 24th PGA Tour win and 16th DP World Tour title.
“Really proud,” the 34-year-old said afterward at the Renaissance Club.
Tough day
“That was such a tough day, so tough, especially the back nine. I bogeyed my last two holes on the front nine to go to 2-over and I saw Tyrrell (Hatton) was making a run.
“Obviously Bob was making a run as well and had an unbelievable finish.
“To play that back nine 4-under par to win the tournament, yeah, really proud of how I just stuck in there. Hit some amazing shots down the stretch and was able to finish it off with a really nice putt there (on 18).
“It feels incredible. It’s been a sort of long six months I feel since I won in Dubai. I’ve given myself tons of chances, and hopefully, this win sort of breaks the seal for me, especially going into next week as well,” said McIlroy, who rises to world no. 2 from three with the win.
The Scottish Open rounded off a hat-trick of national Open titles for McIlroy after The Open (2014) and the Irish Open (2016), making him the first golfer to complete the sweep.
Korea’s Byeong Hun An (61-70-69-70) took an impressive tied third to earn a prized spot at The Open with Sweden’s David Lingmerth and Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark at the year’s final major.
An, 31, the first round leader with a course record-equalling 61, carded a level par 70 on a wind-swept final day at North Berwick to finish five strokes behind McIlroy.
Slipping up
Joohyung Kim also of Korea started the day one back of overnight leader McIlroy and even held the lead on the front nine before he closed with a disappointing 73 that gave him a T6 finish. It was his second top 10 in Scotland following a solo third in 2022.
For An, a third top-10 of the season in the home of golf meant re-routing his journey to Royal Liverpool in England for The Open, and also organising his laundry.
“As soon as I get back, I have to do my laundry and get ready,” An said. “At least I have a lot of warm clothes.”
“The Open wasn’t on my schedule but after the last couple of days, all I tried to do is play a little better.
“Struggled a little bit off the tee, tee-to-green the last couple weeks but I’m glad to see that tee-to-green was great this week I feel like my swing was back on track.
“It was a little off the past couple weeks but it’s good to see my swing is back on track. Yeah, this is a bonus, extra week, so hopefully I can make the best out of it.”
An swapped four birdies for as many bogeys under tough conditions to seal a ninth appearance at The Open and a second trip to Royal Liverpool where he finished T26 in 2014.
“That (2014) was my first time at The Open as a pro. I remember the place. It’s a great golf course. That was the first major cut I think that I made. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully can have a little better finish this year,” said An.
For McIlroy, it was a sixth straight top-10 finish after T7 at the PGA Championship, T7 at the Memorial, T9 at the RBC Canadian Open, second at the US Open, and T7 at the Travelers Championship.
It is his longest such streak since he had seven in a row before the 2019-20 season was suspended due to the Covid pandemic.
Also read: Home food, patience in Sharma’s mix for Scottish Open success
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