The 2026 Genesis Scottish Open is under way at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy headlining the final marquee tune-up before next week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
McIlroy went out at 8.28am on Thursday alongside home favourite Robert MacIntyre and John Deere Classic winner Chris Gotterup, according to Golf.com’s round-one tee sheet, having turned his focus to the Scottish Open and The Open after a frustrating US Open. Scheffler follows in the afternoon wave at 1.43pm with Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood, one group ahead of Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg and Patrick Reed.
Scheffler, the defending Open champion, is chasing a second PGA Tour win of the season and a 21st overall as part of a reset that began after his U.S. Open miss. LIV Golf’s Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are also in the field for the $9m co-sanctioned event.
The stakes stretch beyond Sunday’s trophy. According to Golf Channel, the top three finishers not already exempt will earn places at the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, which begins on July 16 — making the next four days the last realistic route into the year’s final major for much of the field.
