After slipping into a surprising funk following his long-awaited Masters win and career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy is back where it all began — and back in the mix.
The Northern Irishman hasn’t contended seriously in the six starts since his historic April triumph, including a pair of underwhelming major performances. But this week, he’s traded American fairways for the windswept turf of the UK, where both the scenery and the sentiment have him feeling grounded again.
A Reset in Familiar Territory
“I think over these last couple of weeks, coming back over here, seeing people that I know that I haven’t seen since Augusta… rekindles how I felt playing,” McIlroy said on Wednesday, ahead of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.
After parading his green jacket through family visits and media tours, McIlroy has finally had a chance to breathe. Now, with back-to-back weeks on home soil — including next week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush — he sounds like a man ready to reignite his season.
“It’s amazing what 10 days or two weeks of just a little bit of detachment can do for you,” McIlroy added. “I don’t want that to be my last great moment in the game.”
Scottish Tune-Up, Major Opportunity
The Genesis Scottish Open, co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour, kicks off Thursday with one of the strongest fields of the year. Eight of the world’s top 10 players are teeing it up, including Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and J.J. Spaun.
For McIlroy, this week serves as both a measuring stick and a springboard. He calls links golf the “purest form” of the game — a style that demands imagination, touch, and shotmaking. The Renaissance Club, a hybrid links, may not be the Old Course, but it’s close enough to prep for Portrush.
“The creativity and the imagination you need around the greens, it’s the purest form of golf,” McIlroy said. “It’s where golf was invented. There’s a nice connection to the past with links golf.”
The Noise, the Turf, the Stakes
Scheffler, the World No. 1, also returns after a brief break, still seeking his first standout performance on links-style turf.
“I played in a lot of wind growing up in Texas… but the wind affects the ball differently because of the turf,” Scheffler explained. “This turf is a little bit spinnier than the turf at home.”
That turf — and the weight of expectations — will be tested over the next two weeks, especially for players like Robert MacIntyre, the defending Scottish Open champ. The pride of Oban returns after a long PGA TOUR stretch, freshly tuned up with links reps at Machrihanish and eager to defend his home turf.
“It’s the biggest golf tournament outside the majors for me,” MacIntyre said. “I’ve won it once. But every time I pitch up, I want to win it again.”
Portrush on the Horizon
The Scottish Open also offers the final three spots into The Open at Portrush — a tantalizing carrot for players on the bubble, and a key proving ground for McIlroy, who will tee it up in his native Northern Ireland with history (and pressure) looming.
After all, McIlroy’s shocking missed cut at Portrush in 2019 still lingers — even if unspoken. But now, with his Grand Slam goal achieved and his competitive fire re-lit, Rory’s message is clear: “There’s plenty more that I can do.”
