Robert MacIntyre among favourites as Scottish Open tees off

A year on from Robert MacIntyre’s glorious and emotional win at the Scottish Open, all eyes are on North Berwick again as the best of the world’s golfing talent compete at the Renaissance Club.

Eight of the world’s top ten are in a field packed with talent, and the tournament is expected to be fiercely contested over a weekend where the sun is expected over a challenging course.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is in town, as is Masters champion Rory McIlroy and new US Open champion JJ Spaun.

MacIntyre will defend his title in front of a partisan home crowd and he will be in good company from the off, grouped with Scheffler and last year’s runner-up Adam Scott on the first day.

Former winner Xander Schauffele and other big names including Collins Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood are among the 156-strong field and there’s plenty to play.

In addition to the glory and the trophy, a prize pot of £6.6m is on offer, with £1.1m of that going to the man who is crowned as winner on Sunday. And for those who haven’t yet sealed their place in next week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush, the top three who haven’t yet qualified can grab their last chance to compete in Northern Ireland.

The focus is on this weekend though, and the test of links golf in what’s expected to be warm weather. Some are predicting a low-scoring tournament but MacIntyre has already warned that the firm ground off the fairways will present a challenge for even the very best.

“That’s the way you want it for a Scottish Open,” the defending champion told STV. “You want it to be a test of golf, and the guy who plays the best golf over the week will walk away the winner.”

For McIlroy, who won two years ago, the return to the UK is welcome after an up-and-down spell that followed his Masters triumph.

“I don’t think I started out too well here, but I have learned how to play the course a little bit better,” he said ahead of the tournament.

“Obviously I had that great finish in 2023, then played well again last year, so I am looking forward to getting out there tomorrow.”

Scheffler, currently the world’s top golfer, tied for third in 2023 but missed last year’s event. The two-time Masters winner and current PGA Championship title-holder says there would be something notable about adding a Scottish Open title to his impressive list of achievements.

“It’s very challenging to win out here and it would be very special to win at the home of golf,” he said. “

“It’s a different style of golf we play, so to win this week or next (at The Open) says a lot about a player, especially if they are coming from the States.

“I think it’s really fun and definitely brings a new level of play to what we normally do.”

MacIntyre will be one of six Scots playing on home soil and his compatriot Connor Syme says the sound of the crowd is something to look forward to at a tournament that goes from strength to strength.

“It’s obviously awesome,” he told STV. “Just looking around, it’s grown so much over the last four or five years especially.

“It’s always been a massive tournament but it keeps going from strength to strength. It’s just brilliant to be a part of it.

“The support, obviously from the Scottish fans is really cool.

“I finished well last year in 15th but watching Bob and the support he got, and that scene at the end, was just awesome.

“It’s probably hard to replicate that anywhere in the world and it was just really, really cool.”