Play at the Genesis Scottish Open was suspended on Saturday morning due to thick fog, halting the third round after only 17 players had teed off. The fog descended on the Renaissance Club in East Lothian, forcing officials to sound the horns and call players off the course.
Weather Disruption
After two days of sunshine, the conditions turned abruptly. Japanese golfer Yuto Katsuragawa, playing as a single, managed just six holes before play was stopped at around 9:10 AM. Viktor Hovland and Eugenio Chacarra were the first two-ball to be halted. Fans who arrived early were left waiting in the cold, damp conditions for the fog to lift.
The last groups of the day, including Tom Kim and Jordan Smith, were not scheduled to tee off until 3:35 PM, raising the possibility of a lengthy delay. When play resumes, Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick are set to start at 3:24 PM, while home favourite Bob MacIntyre is due at 3:02 PM.
MacIntyre in Contention
Bob MacIntyre, the 2024 champion, sits two shots behind the leaders Kim, Smith, and McIlroy after a second-round 66. He thrilled home fans on Friday and is aiming for a second victory at the Renaissance Club, having also finished second in 2023.
Speaking after his second round, McIlroy said: “Yeah, a great weekend. Excited for the opportunity. Bob getting himself on the back nine into contention for the home contingent. Obviously cheering for him pretty well. Great to play with him and Bob is up there this weekend, which is great.”
MacIntyre reflected on his journey: “It has been a special ride and, hopefully, I can do some more special things. It was a hard graft at the start, but [caddy] Mike kept saying: We’ll get our time, we’ll get our time and we did get our chances. I actually said to Mike on the eighth hole, I was a bit glass half-empty, I’m like: We’re actually one shot off the cut line here. We need to be more aggressive and took our chances coming in.”
Impact on Tournament
The suspension leaves the tournament schedule uncertain. With only a fraction of the field having started, the third round could extend into Sunday, potentially compressing the final round. The leaders are yet to begin their rounds, and the fog delay adds an element of unpredictability to the championship.
