Genesis Scottish Open R1 – Golf Today

Nico Echavarria, Jake Knapp, Sepp Straka and Victor Perez are tied for the lead at 6-under after the first round of the Genesis Scottish Open.

This marks the first time the Genesis Scottish Open has had multiple leaders after any round since the event became co-sanctioned
by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour in 2022.

American Knapp signed for a bogey-free round while Austria’s Straka made back-to-back bogeys at the 6th and 7th and Colombia’s Echavarria and France’s Perez both made a single bogey.

“Definitely can’t complain,” said Knapp. “I think it tests a little bit of everything and obviously you can hit what you think is a decent shot and it can bounce somewhere and go somewhere funky. So you have to be able to roll with the punches.”

Echavarria posted his best first-round score since opening with a 64 en route to winning the 2024 Baycurrent Classic. He missed the cut (71-70) at the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open.

Straka broke a streak of four straight over-par opening rounds. He had not posted an under-par first-round score since picking up his second win of the season at the Truist Championship (63). He missed the cut at the 2022 and 2024 Genesis Scottish Open.

“It’s a little bit unpredictable and it puts you in spots where you may be a little bit uncomfortable, and you hit shots that you normally wouldn’t hit. I think that’s what makes it the most fun,” said Straka.

American World No. 1, reigning FedExCup Champion and 16-time PGA Tour winner Scottie Scheffler opened with a 3-under 67, including an eagle on his opening hole (No. 10) and lies in T14 at 3-under.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (T33/-2) birdied his final three holes for a 2-under 68 and is tied in 33rd place at 2-under. He seeks to become the first player to win the Masters Tournament and Genesis Scottish Open in the same season.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, bidding to become the first player to successfully defend at the Genesis Scottish Open, is also tied in 33rd place.