Frustration as Rory McIlroy falls away at Scottish Open

Rory McIlroy Faces Uphill Battle in Scottish Open After Frustrating Third Round

Defending champion Rory McIlroy heads into the final round of the Scottish Open trailing by five shots after a challenging third round of 67.

 

A year after denying home favorite Robert MacIntyre with a dramatic finish, McIlroy finds himself struggling to replicate last year’s heroics. MacIntyre is now well-positioned to claim the title he has long coveted.

 

McIlroy’s round was a tale of missed opportunities. Despite covering his first 10 holes in four under, the world number two endured a frustrating finish with seven straight pars followed by a bogey on the 18th.

 

“The birdies dried up,” McIlroy admitted. Competing for the first time since narrowly missing out on a fifth major title at the US Open, he continued, “I kept hitting good shots, especially in the last few holes. I had three 8-footers on 15, 16, and 17 for birdie that I didn’t convert and then made bogey on the last. The last four holes were probably the worst I’ve played them, which is disappointing because I felt like I could have been right up there, sort of at 15-under around the lead, and to give one away at the last is frustrating. But I’ll be within three or four of the lead and still have a shot if I get off to a good start. It’s another opportunity to win a very prestigious tournament with a lot of history.”

 

MacIntyre shone with a stunning third round of 63 at the Renaissance Club, the lowest of the day in varying conditions. This performance puts him just two shots behind Ryder Cup teammate Ludvig Aberg. Aberg followed consecutive rounds of 64 with a 65 to reach 17 under par, while MacIntyre sits at 15 under, and former world number one Adam Scott is another shot back after a round of 64 played alongside the home favorite.

 

MacIntyre’s day was highlighted by an eagle and seven birdies, even though a three-putt bogey on the 18th slightly marred his performance. The left-hander, cheered on by a supportive home crowd, surged through the field.

 

“The last is a difficult hole, whether it’s flat calm, downwind, or into wind, and when they put the pin on that top shelf, it makes it even harder,” MacIntyre said. “But overall, I played absolutely brilliantly. Tee to green was solid again, and I rolled the putter beautifully. I’ve just got to let it happen, and it happened. I’ve not been shy in saying it; the Scottish Open is the one I want. That’s my end goal. The Scottish Open on my resume for my whole career is what I want. I’ve just got to go and play golf and let it happen. I can’t force it; there are so many good players in the tournament chasing me down. I can only control me, and I’ve controlled myself very well so far. I’ve got 18 holes to control myself even more.”

 

McIlroy’s next chance to end his major drought, which stretches back to 2014, comes in next week’s Open at Royal Troon. He reflected on the upcoming challenges: “It’s easy to stay patient, knowing that the game is there. Easy to stay patient knowing that there’s one eye on this week and ultimately one eye on next week, too. But I would love to go into next week after getting myself right into the thick of things tomorrow.”

 

Aberg responded impressively to MacIntyre’s charge with birdies on the first, third, sixth, and 10th but stumbled with bogeys on the 11th and 12th, putting him two shots behind. However, he rallied by holing a long-range birdie on the 13th and picking up further shots on the 16th and 17th to reclaim the lead.

 

“Not the most stress-free golf, but it was again a good score,” said Aberg, who missed the cut in the Scottish Open last year in just his fifth event as a professional. “I felt like I was playing well. I was hitting the shots that I wanted to and then obviously made bogeys on 11 and 12, but those things are going to happen when you play a 72-hole golf tournament. You can’t be perfect all the time. But I’m pleased with the way I hung in there and finished it out. When a putt like that goes in on 13, it gives you a little bit of an extra boost, and I’m looking forward to the final round. Looks like I’m playing with Bob as well, so it will be a cool pairing.”

 

As the final round approaches, all eyes will be on whether McIlroy can overcome his frustrating third round and challenge for the title, or if MacIntyre will finally secure the victory he has long desired.