Rory McIlroy looks to end Scottish Open curse as Renaissance Club leader reveals shaking off course 'hate'

Rory McIlroy wants to blow away his Renaissance rivals and secure a long-overdue first win at the Home of Golf.

The Northern Irish superstar leads the way at the weather-buffeted Genesis Scottish Open going into today’s final round. McIlroy has never won a tournament in Scotland and is determined to end that lengthy drought. The World No.3 started Saturday early as tournament chiefs hauled play forward to avoid forecast thunderstorms. McIlroy and his rivals will again go out early this morning with predicted high winds of 40mph forcing another late change in schedule.

Threeballs will now have a two-tee start between 6.45am to 8.57am, but the fans’ favourite will fight to make sure it’s his title challengers who are blown off course as he hunts down a maiden success in Scotland. McIlroy said: “It’d be great [to win]. I’ve had a lot of close calls in Opens and Dunhill Links and all sorts of stuff. It’d be fantastic.

“I remember playing the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in 2005, 18 years ago, my first Scottish Open, so it’s nice to reminisce and I’ve come a long way since then and 18 years is too long for me to not pick up a trophy in this country. It is the home of golf and you know, we come back and we play here a lot. It would be lovely to pick up a trophy.”

McIlroy is being backed all the way by the local galleries and the player is appreciative of the East Lothian support. He says he’ll need them again to get over the line as he continued: “It’s amazing. The support at St Andrews last year was like nothing I’ve ever felt before in my life.

“I feel very fortunate and lucky that I do get well-supported anywhere that I go and I’m probably going to need all that encouragement I can get, certainly with the conditions.