McIlroy calls Scottish Open blueprint for national opens

Rory McIlroy, the reigning Masters champion, has returned to the United Kingdom for a two-week stretch of links golf, beginning his preparations at the Genesis Scottish Open ahead of next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, the world number two expressed a sense of homecoming after basing himself at Wentworth since mid-May.

McIlroy, who won the Scottish Open in 2023, noted changes to this year's setup, including thicker rough and a tweaked routing designed to create more drama on Sunday. He acknowledged the course has grown on him over time, calling it a "really good venue" for the tournament. His preparation has included a blend of scouting and leisure, highlighted by a recent, discreet trip to Royal Birkdale. He revealed he had hoped to keep the reconnaissance visit private, but fellow major champion Sir Nick Faldo, whom he encountered on the course, shared news of it on social media. McIlroy joked about the incident but said the early look at the altered layout, which features five changed holes including a new par-3 at the 15th, was valuable for reducing practice pressure during...