Gotterup Posts Record 61 As Mcilroy Makes Move

Scottish Open 2nd information leaderboard (finishers only)

-11 C Gotterup (US); -9 H Hall (Eng); -8 M Penge, M Fitzpatrick; -7 R McIlroy (NI), N Taylor (Can), K Mitchell (US), M Schmid (Ger)

Selected others: -6 X Shauffele (US); -5 G Forrest (Sco); -3 T Fleetwood (Eng); -2 V Hovland (Nor); +2 Spaun (US)

Leaderboard

American Chris Gotterup charged to nan apical of nan leaderboard by equalling nan people grounds pinch a blistering 61 connected time 2 of nan Scottish Open.

The world number 158 recorded 9 birdies successful a bogey-free 2nd information astatine nan Renaissance Club to group nan clubhouse target astatine 11 under.

Amid sweltering and benign conditions successful East Lothian, plentifulness of early starters made their move.

Having vanished his opening information pinch a trio of birdies, Rory McIlroy picked up wherever he near disconnected by gaining 5 shots successful his opening 7 holes.

The Northern Irishman's momentum waned connected nan backmost 9 pinch conscionable 1 further birdie earlier a missed putt from wrong 4 feet connected nan eighth, his penultimate hole, resulted successful nan solitary bogey of a 65 that move him to 7 under.

"The conditions were truthful bully for america this morning," said McIlroy. "It felt for illustration if you didn't play that first 9 successful 3 aliases 4 under, you were losing strokes to nan field.

"I did a batch of bully things today, a mates of loose shots present and location but wide it was a bully day. I'm excited for nan weekend, correct successful contention."

England's Matt Fitzpatrick, who has been battling shape struggles for overmuch of nan year, ignited his title hopes pinch a 63 to move 8 nether alongside Marco Penge.

Fellow countryman Harry Hill was 2 disconnected nan clubhouse lead aft posting 64.

US Open champion JJ Spaun is group to miss nan trim aft 3 bogeys successful a 72 that near nan American 2 over.

Defending champion Robert MacIntyre, world number Scottie Scheffler and overnight co-leader Sepp Straka were among nan later starts connected Friday.

Gotterup was threatening to break 60 aft covering his ninth birdie of nan time connected 14, but 4 pars followed.

"It [59] ne'er really crossed my mind," said nan 25-year-old.

"I made nan putt connected 14 and I was like, each right, I've sewage 16 and evidently 17 and 18 are beautiful tough. So I really wanted to get 16.

"I'm not going to kick excessively overmuch erstwhile I make my birdies connected a people that isn't ever typically easy."