Rory McIlroy carded a five-under-par 65 in the opening round of the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club near North Berwick, marking a strong return after a three-week break from competitive golf. The 37-year-old Northern Irishman, who won the Masters in both 2025 and 2026, said he has deliberately stepped off what he called golf's 'hamster wheel' to preserve his enthusiasm and enjoy more family time.
McIlroy Overcomes Early Bogey to Shine
McIlroy started his round with a bogey after a mishit chip, but quickly recovered with a series of birdies to finish at five under. He admitted a lucky bounce on his final hole helped him maintain his score: a bunker shot that he thought would end up in another trap instead spun back to the hole. 'I wish I could say it was intentional,' he said. 'There was no sand and where the ball was, the club just bounced. As soon as I struck it I thought it was in the bunker on the other side of the green, but thankfully the wind held it up a bit and it had enough spin to bring it back to the hole. I got away with one there, but overall it was a really good day.'
Lighter Schedule Key to Freshness
McIlroy, who won his first Masters in 2025 and added a second green jacket in April 2026, explained that he has refined his schedule to avoid burnout. 'It feels like professional golf is a hamster wheel and sometimes you have to force yourself to get off it, take a step back and look at your body of work and what you've been able to achieve,' he said. 'I'm just doing that a little bit more these days.' He noted that the benefits include seeing his family more and maintaining a better work-life balance. 'I think one of the other benefits, like I'm nearly 20 years into this, and I need to do everything I can to keep my enthusiasm as high as possible. Playing a lighter schedule definitely does that.'
Setting New Goals After Major Success
Despite his achievements, McIlroy emphasised that he continues to set new targets. 'When I look back on my career, if I hadn't done something, would I be disappointed? They are big goals. Ryder Cups, Majors, that's basically it. There's things I would like to do and venues where I'd like to win, all that sort of stuff,' he said. 'At the same time you don't want to put too much pressure on yourself to do that, either. As soon as you've achieved something, the goalposts move and you're focusing on something else.' He referenced world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler's comments about the Grand Slam, saying: 'Scottie talked about it at Shinnecock a couple weeks ago. Like if he were to go win the Grand Slam, the goalposts move and you have to figure out what else you want to do. I felt like the Grand Slam last year was the destination and I realised it wasn't. It's a continuous journey.'
Views on Open Code of Conduct
McIlroy also weighed in on the R&A's new Code of Conduct for next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, which threatens to eject unruly fans. He was targeted by abusive spectators at the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York, while Brian Harman was booed at the 2023 Open and Wyndham Clark faced heckling during his US Open win. 'I haven't seen it. I think it's a reflection on society in general,' McIlroy said. 'I certainly have never bought into the idea that it's a Long Island thing or American thing. It happens everywhere. We are in an age of social media and everyone's got their phones and taking videos and trying to get a reaction from us inside the ropes. It's just a reflection of society as a whole at the minute more than anything else.'
Light Moment Over Hot Dogs
After his round, McIlroy was asked about National Hot Dog Day in the US next week. When asked if he is a fan, he replied: 'Do I look like a hot dog guy?' He confirmed he prefers a burger before turning his attention back to his golf.
