Rory McIlroy is man to beat again in Scottish Open but Bob MacIntyre eyes another 'special' weekend

Given that he wasn’t a fan of the Tom Doak-designed course when he first played it in 2019, it’s somewhat ironic that no-one has a better record on it than McIlroy. In his last 14 rounds at the Dirleton venue, which, incidentally, he admits has “grown on me a lot”, the back-to-back Masters champion is now a combined 51-under-par. His last 15 scores have all been sub-par efforts and has now signed for 19 in total, failing just once to achieve the feat.

In short, McIlroy is the man to beat around here. He finished birdie-birdie to win this title in 2023, finished joint-fourth behind Bob MacIntyre the following year then was in contention again last year when he tied for second as Chris Gotterup claimed the coveted crown.

At the halfway stage in this edition, having opened with scores of 65-66 to sit on nine under, the world No 2 shares the lead with Smith and Korean Tom Kim, the trio being chased by Fitzpatrick and Min Woo Lee, with 2024 winner Bob MacIntyre and defending champion Chris Gotterup both one shot further back.

“Yeah, I thought I played well again,” said McIlroy of his day’s work, racing to the turn in four-under 31 before the handbrake went on coming home. “You know, the wind definitely got up for us in the afternoon. We got off to a really nice start, but, by the turn, the wind had got to hits strongest and felt like it was hard to get the ball close to the pins, It would have been nice to be a couple better. But it's another good day and in good position.”

Out in the slightly-easier morning conditions, Smith carded a seven-under 63 - the best effort of the week so far. “I probably didn’t hit it as good as I did yesterday, but I putted really, really well today,” admitted the 33-year-old, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour and now playing on the PGA Tour for the first time this season.

He certainly did roll it well on the greens. In over 1,000 rounds as a professional, this was his fourth-best putting round, recording +3.6 for strokes gained. “I felt really comfortable on the greens and holed some nice long putts,” he added.

Kim, who finished third on his debut in this event in 2022, illuminated his second-round 66 by rolling in a 39-foot eagle putt at the seventh before adding birdies at the 13th, 16th and 17th. “I really love links golf,” said the 24-year-old, who finished third behind Brian Harman in The Open at Royal Liverpool in 2023.

Fitzpatrick sits on eight under, in a group that also includes Australian Min Woo Lee, who beat the Englishman and Belgian Thomas Detry in a play-off to land the title in 2021. Helped by a burst of five birdies in a row in a 65, Fitzpatrick is not only in the hunt to go one better here but also land a fourth PGA Tour win this season.

“Just felt like I did everything pretty solid,” he said of this effort. “I feel fortunate to say that a lot this year. I feel like I hit more in the fairway today. Gave myself some chances to hit my irons close and took advantage of that as well. I felt like I putted solid for the last couple days, and, hopefully, I can keep that up over the weekend.”

MacIntyre’s record here isn’t far behind McIlroy’s. Helped by four birdies, including 2s at both the 15th, where he raised the biggest cheer of the day, and 17th, he’s also in with a chance of becoming a repeat champion. “Yeah, happy enough (with a 66 to add to his opening 67) after the start, when it was tough due to how I was having to play the golf course,” said the Oban man. “It was perfect for the other two, who were just flying the bunkers all over the place.

“I know that I’ve not got the horsepower, so I am trying to lay up short of them and leave myself longer shots in. But then I am seeing them flicking wedges at tight pins and I’m just trying to make pars. But it was a good way to finish. It has been a special ride (in this event) and, hopefully, I can do some more special things.”

McIlroy, for one, is happy to see the man he pipped with a birdie-birdie finish in 2023 in the mix again on home soil. “Yeah, a great weekend,” he predicted. “Bob, on the back nine, getting himself into contention for the home contingent. Yeah, excited for the opportunity.”

While Calum Hill and Scott Jamieson joined MacIntyre in progressing on four and two under respectively, some big names are missing for the final 36 holes. Notably world No 1 Scottie Scheffler as his cut streak - the fifth-longest in PGA Tour history - ended at 78 events. But Aaron Rai and Xander Schauffele, the 2021 and 2022 winners here, as well. Also five-time major champion Brooks Koepka and Patrick Cantlay, who shared the lead after an opening 65 but then stumbled to a 74.

The casualties also included European Ryder Cup trio Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka and Shane Lowry. Headed by McIlroy in particular, though, but also the likes of Fitzpatrick and MacIntyre, there’s still a strong presence in that respect heading into another exciting weekend in the Rolex Series event.