McIlroy in contention as Aaron Rai stays 26th in Scottish Open

North Berwick (Scotland), July 12 (IANS) Rory McIlroy, who spent the last few months struggling for motivation after his Masters achievement in Augusta, seems to be finding his form as he shot 2-under 68 and 5-under 65 in the first two rounds which put him in contention at this week’s Scottish Open.

He trails leader Chris Gotterup by four strokes at the Renaissance Club. Gotterup rocketed to the top of the leaderboard following a sensational 61 to lead by two shots.

Indo-British Aaron Rai has shot 69-67 and is tied-26th, as Indian Americans Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia have skipped the event this week.

Gotterup, who won the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic on the PGA TOUR, was a relative unknown on these shores ahead of his arrival in East Lothian. The 25-year-old Gotterup began the second round four shots off the quartet of overnight leaders, however, he got his birdie blitz underway with a 45-footer at the second before reaching the turn in a brilliant 29.

When he added three more birdies by the 14th hole, there were murmurs of the magical number 59 but he parred his way home to equal the course record and set the clubhouse target of 11 under.

Gotterup's closest rival proved to be Harry Hall at nine under, with English pair Matt Fitzpatrick and Marco Penge and Swede Ludvig Åberg one shot further back in a share of third.

McIlroy briefly held the lead under sunny skies on Scotland's golf coast, ultimately reaching seven under after his round of 65, alongside American duo Keith Mitchell and Jake Knapp, Austrian Sepp Straka, Canada's Nick Taylor and German Matti Schmid.

Defending champion Robert MacIntyre birdied the 17th to get inside the cutline at one under par.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, had a pair of three-putts but still shot 68 and was six shots behind in tied-21.

--IANS

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