Martin Laird fired a flawless 8-under 64 to grab a share of the lead at the Scottish Open after the opening round. The American carded eight birdies, including three in a row from the 15th, to move alongside first-round leader Bradley Neil of Scotland.
Overnight leader Julien Guerrier remains in contention after posting a 69, while Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy are two shots off the pace after solid opening rounds.
Thomas, who won the Scottish Open in 2018, carded a 6-under 66, as he looks to defend his title from last year.
The PGA Championship announces a $20 million purse, matching the Masters and U.S. Open. This move highlights the escalating prize money in golf’s major tournaments, intensifying competition on the PGA Tour.
Rory McIlroy faced a crushing blow to his dream of triumph at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Saturday following a costly misstep in the third round. Despite trailing by just three shots as the weekend commenced, the four-time major winner endured a disheartening two-over-par 74, significantly diminishing his chances.
The critical juncture arrived on the 12th hole when Rory’s second shot landed in the water, leading to a penalty drop and a demoralizing double-bogey six. This unfortunate turn of events, a six-shot swing, ultimately extinguished his aspirations of claiming the championship title