Rory McIlroy put together a strong second round at the Scottish Open, firing a 65 to move himself right into the mix as they head into the weekend.
McIlroy had needed a late run of birdies just to post a 68 in his opening round, finishing two under after what had been a bit of a grind.
But with some pressure on him to perform on Friday, he responded well. Another early burst of birdies helped him close the gap, ending the day just four shots behind surprise leader Chris Gotterup.
McIlroy took an aggressive approach off the tee, opting for power over precision as he worked his way around the Renaissance Club’s challenging links layout.
The game plan worked overall, with his distance giving him plenty of short approaches. And it wasn’t just luck – McIlroy said afterwards that it was all part of the plan.
Rory McIlroy adopts aggressive strategy at Scottish Open
Modern golf has shown that players who can hit the ball a long way are rarely out of contention, and McIlroy is putting that theory to the test this week.
His length off the tee is well-known, and it’s been a clear advantage around Renaissance Club so far.
After shooting 65 in his second round, McIlroy spoke about why he’s been so aggressive with the driver. He explained it’s not just about distance but also about how it helps him avoid some of the course’s main hazards.
“The rough isn’t too bad, so I feel like the more aggressive you can be, and obviously being aggressive off the tee on links golf courses and taking the bunkers out of play has always been a pretty good strategy for me so, I’m sort of sticking with that for the week,” McIlroy admitted.
“You know, sometimes it gets you into trouble, but most of the time it works out pretty well.”
Rory McIlroy frustrated by late bogey despite strong round at Scottish Open
As is often the case, Rory McIlroy wasn’t fully satisfied with his round, even after shooting a five-under 65. The reigning Masters champion felt he left a few shots out there.
Speaking after his round, McIlroy said he was frustrated by a bogey on the final hole but pleased overall with how he played.
“I got off to a bit of a flyer. The conditions were so benign this morning, hardly any wind. Then the wind started to pick up for us a bit on the back nine but still, very, very manageable,” he continued.
“I started to struggle a little bit, hit a couple of wayward drives and did well to scramble for pars.”
“Disappointed to drop one coming in there but overall it’s a really good score and puts me right into the thick of things going into the weekend.”
McIlroy’s position near the top of the leaderboard gives him every chance heading into Saturday and Sunday. He’ll be one of the favourites now that he’s within striking distance.
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