So it's no surprise that a star like Rory McIlroy didn't soften his performance during the first round of the Scottish Open: "It was a scrappy start," he summed it up. It's fair to say that things improved markedly for the Northern Irishman as the day progressed.

Schauffele has yet to truly get going in 2025 -- but they are nevertheless looking to make one last push going into the final major of the year at Royal Portrush. Given their play across two days in Scotland,

McIlroy said he could hear the excitement in the voices of friends talking about his Masters win. And there’s the anticipation of two weeks of a different brand of golf, the Scottish Open that starts Thursday and then the British Open at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland.