Rory McIlroy produced a stunning finish to deny home favourite Robert MacIntyre the biggest win of his career in amazing fashion in the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.

MacIntyre had set a daunting target of 14 under par thanks to a sensational birdie on the 18th, just the second of the day on the closing hole as winds gusting up to 40mph made for testing scoring conditions.

However, overnight leader McIlroy birdied the par-three 17th to get on level terms and then hit a stunning 2-iron approach into the last before holing from 10 feet to secure his second Rolex Series title of the year.

“I’m really proud,” said McIlroy, who will head to next week’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, scene of his 2014 triumph, on the back of his first win on Scottish soil.

“That was such a tough day, especially the back nine. To play that in four under par to win the tournament I’m really proud of how I stuck in there, hit some amazing shots down the stretch and was able to finish it off.

“It feels incredible. It’s been a sort of long six months I feel since I won in Dubai. I’ve given myself tonnes of chances and hopefully this win sort of breaks the seal for me, especially going in to next week as well.”

MacIntyre had been fortunate to find the spectator walkway following a wild drive on the 18th, but took full advantage by hitting a stunning approach with a fairway wood to within four feet of the hole.

The left-hander began the final round five shots behind McIlroy, but made good on his promise to relish “absolutely brutal” weather as he followed birdies on the third and sixth with an eagle on the par-five 10th.

A birdie on the 14th moved MacIntyre into the outright lead for the first time and he immediately doubled his advantage after a stunning approach to the next finished inches from the hole.

McIlroy kept himself in contention with a birdie on the 11th and a vital par save on the 12th, the world number three thinking his putt had missed before it caught the edge of the hole and dropped.

And, after MacIntyre bogeyed the par-five 16th, McIlroy holed from almost 40 feet on the 14th to share the lead.

MacIntyre’s amazing birdie on the 18th completed a stunning 64 and edged him back in front, but, after missing from eight feet on the par-five 16th, McIlroy conjured up a magical finish to seal a brilliant fightback.

Ankle surgery has ruled out 15-time major winner Tiger Woods from playing in The Open at Royal Liverpool but there will be a new Tiger in town for the week, with a German amateur carrying the name at Hoylake.

Tiger Christensen came through final qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club in Crosby, near Liverpool, earlier this month to book his major debut.

But the United States-based 19-year-old accepts the similarities end with sharing the same name, country of residence and preference for an orange-and-black striped animal driver headcover.

“He’s a pretty big inspiration. To me he’s the greatest of all time,” said the Arizona University student

“I think it’s really special what he’s done for the game, changed the entire game and made it more popular, and his achievements are just unbelievable.

“It’s something you could look up to.”

Referring to how he got his name he added: “It’s not only named after Tiger Woods – my dad has a very good friend who’s a retired boxer and his ring name was Tiger so it’s 50/50.”

“For me it’s never been (a burden) because it’s just my birth name. I’m glad to be called Tiger.

“I understand everything I’m ever going to do they are going to compare me to him straightaway but at the end of the day it’s a different time, I don’t have any connection to him. It’s just a name.”

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“I played a lot of football when I was younger and I always wanted to be a football pro until I was about 10 and then I started playing US kids tournaments and that is when I transitioned to wanting to become a golf professional,” added the Hamburg-born golfer, whose world ranking is above 3,700.

Christensen was the only amateur to make it through final qualifying across four venues, only three days after almost securing a place via the European Amateur Championship in Estonia.

A month earlier the teenager made his DP World Tour debut with an appearance in the Porsche European Open held in the city of his birth, although rounds of 80 and 79 saw him miss the cut by some distance on 13 over.

“I cope with pressure pretty good, although at the DP World Tour event there was a new pressure I hadn’t had in playing with spectators,” he said of his imminent Open appearance.

“Usually in amateur events only the final couple of groups, if you are playing well, get spectators but I think the DP World Tour event really helped me going into the Open.

“I’ve now had those couple of crowd experiences, the seriousness of everyone around the tournament and how professional it is, so I think that will help me a lot.

“I don’t want to sound cocky but I was pretty certain of qualifying. I played the US Open qualifying and fell just short. I felt it wasn’t far away.

“It’s going to be a great experience. I’m going to go with zero expectations and take it all in.

“But my final goal, which is supported by smaller goals, is to win as many majors as I can.”

Tyrrell Hatton believes it would be “mega” to become the first English winner of the Open on home soil for more than half a century.

Sir Nick Faldo has lifted the Claret Jug three times since Tony Jacklin’s victory at Royal Lytham in 1969, but all of those wins – two at Muirfield and one at St Andrews – came in Scotland.

Hatton saw at close quarters the atmosphere generated by having a home player in contention when he finished sixth behind Shane Lowry at Portrush in 2019 and would love to be part of similar scenes next week at Royal Liverpool.

“It would be mega,” Hatton said during the Genesis Scottish Open. “When Shane won at Portrush a few years ago the scenes were just epic.

“It would obviously be great. Even if it wasn’t myself, it would be nice to see another Englishman in that position walking up the 18th.

“With the likes of Tommy [Fleetwood] and I, it’s not something we would necessarily speak about away from the golf course. But there are obviously certain things you don’t need to say.

“You could see it in Canada [the RBC Canadian Open] when we were able to stick around and watch Tommy in the play-off. You want to see your friends do well and hope they can go on and win.”

Hatton’s early record in the Open was nothing to write home about as he missed the cut on his first four starts, but he was fifth at Troon in 2016, sixth in 2019 and 11th last year.

The 31-year-old also won the Dunhill Links Championship in 2016 and 2017 – and was second the following year – and said: “The experience is definitely there for me now. It’s a case of me going out and trying my best.

“If I go there and play well, I feel like I will definitely give myself a chance.

“Potentially the Open is my best chance of winning a major, but I wouldn’t want to have that added pressure on myself by looking at it like that.

“As a British player, you definitely feel like you’re playing in a special tournament. But, ultimately, you’re just trying to treat it the same as any other week.”

Hatton’s bid for a first major title has been boosted by the return of long-time caddie Mick Donaghy, who had been sidelined for several months following a knee operation.

“It’s great having him back,” Hatton added. “He’s happy to be back out on the bag. He’s been out here since the late 80s.

“I had a really good stretch with Bo (Martin) on the bag, but me and Mick have been working together since May 2019. I feel really comfortable with Mick and we’ve had some good weeks together.

“Mick understands how I am. If I say certain things on the golf course, it’s not in a personal way. I’m just venting. Some guys and their personalities wouldn’t be able to deal with that, which is fine. Everyone is different.

“But Mick is good. He can handle the s*** that comes out my mouth at times.”

Rory McIlroy admitted a first victory in Scotland was long overdue as he took a slender lead into the final day of the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.

A third round of 67 ensured halfway leader McIlroy remained the man to catch at The Renaissance Club on 13 under par, with South Korea’s Tom Kim a shot behind and Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman another stroke back.

World number one Scottie Scheffler and former Open champion Shane Lowry are part of a five-way tie for fifth on 10 under, with tee times brought forward several hours on Sunday due to the forecast for winds gusting up to 40mph.

McIlroy threatened to forge a bigger advantage when he covered his first 10 holes in four under, but covered the last eight in one over as the top 17 players ended the day separated by just five shots.

“I felt like I played really good golf for those first 11 holes and made that first bogey on 12 and it was a little scrappy coming in from there,” McIlroy said.

“But overall another solid day’s play and put myself into a great position going into the final day.

“There’s a lot of great players behind me but it’s going to be difficult for everyone. When the wind gets like that there’s a lot of skill involved but it’s also just attitude and trying to stay upbeat when you’re probably going to get bad breaks here and there.

“The guy with the best attitude is going to have the best chance.”

Asked about the prospect of winning on Scottish soil for the first time, McIlroy added: “It would be great. I’ve had a lot of close calls in Opens and Dunhill Links and all sorts of stuff, but it would be fantastic.

“I remember playing my first Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in 2005. It’s nice to reminisce and I’ve come a long way since then, but 18 years is too long for me to not pick up a trophy in this country.”

A month after charging through the field with a closing 63 in the US Open, Fleetwood matched that score thanks to eight birdies and a solitary bogey at a venue where he finished fourth last year and lost out in a play-off in 2020.

“I’m very happy,” said Fleetwood, who started on the 10th and birdied two of his last three holes on the front nine. “Those last three holes are tough so it was great to get on the right side of those and finish strong.

“On Friday when I made that double bogey on eight I was level par for the tournament with 10 holes to play and at that point the first port of call is to make the weekend.

“Played really well from there on in and then today got a bit of momentum going. It was just one of those days where things go more your way than others.”

Lowry would have been alongside Fleetwood but for a bogey on the last, the 36-year-old having earlier carded five birdies and an eagle on the 10th.

“I didn’t play great on Thursday and just found something in the middle of the round yesterday and got it going,” Lowry said.

“I’ve been rolling a few putts in which is always nice. Some lovely stuff over the last few days and plenty of confidence builders to take into The Open next week.

“But obviously first and foremost, tomorrow I’d love to go out and give myself a chance to win this tournament. It’s obviously a huge tournament for us in Europe and one that I would love to add my name to.”

Alex Fitzpatrick accepts he will have to live in the shadow of his more famous golfing brother Matt for some time yet but an Open debut will at least give him a chance to showcase his talent to a wider audience.

He is not naive enough to think that for the duration of his time at Royal Liverpool he will not be referred to as the younger sibling of the 2022 US Open champion.

The 24-year-old, four years Matt’s junior, is comfortable with the reality, however, after only turning professional 13 months ago.

Asked whether the Open would allow him to emerge from Matt’s shadow, he said: “Probably not, no – but I’m OK with that to be honest.

“He can’t help being US Open champion, I’d never wish him not to be. I couldn’t be prouder.

“It’s a very difficult topic. It’s something I’ve dealt with from being young.

“I’m not going to sugar-coat it, at times it is pretty hard. You have Tweets being sent to you with random messages like ‘You’re not as good as your brother’.

“I love my brother to death and obviously he is a fantastic golfer and I’d never change it for the world but people expect you to do a lot of things and I think it is hard sometimes to live up to that.

“But you make your own path and I’m on the way to doing that.”

Fitzpatrick is trying to break into the big time via the Challenge Tour this season but has already had one significant moment in the sun after coming through qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club a fortnight ago in a field which contained Ryder Cup players Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson.

That booked his first appearance at a major and the chance to play on the same stage as his brother, with whom he will practise at Royal Liverpool.

“It’s cool. I’ve now played in a couple of events with him but I’ve never played in a major and it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” he added.

“It’s super-special, especially the Open Championship where you have home support and it’s great for the family.

“I’m very appreciative and thankful to have someone so high up in the world rankings and so good at golf who’s only a text message or a phone call away or even in person.

“I’m in a very privileged spot that a lot of people aren’t but I’m very appreciative of it so it’s the best of both worlds for me.”

Fitzpatrick has some knowledge of the Hoylake layout, having played the 2019 Walker Cup there while still an amateur.

His memories, however, of that defeat to the United States are not the most positive.

“I remember pooing my pants on the first (the Open’s third hole) knowing that the range (internal out of bounds) is just there but I don’t care what’s there and what’s around, teeing it up there will just be a dream,” he said.

Four-time PGA Tour winner Lucas Glover leads the pack after the second day of the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky with Englishman Daniel Brown in second, two strokes behind the lead.

Glover continued his hot run of form which resulted in his 10th consecutive round in the 60s as he shot a four under par for 68 on Friday at Keene Trace.

“Uncharacteristically drove it very poorly,” Glover said after the day’s play.

“I just didn’t hit enough fairways to hit the ball close and take it low again. Happy the way I finished and happy the way I rolled it, just not many of them were very close today.”

The 43-year-old hit five birdies and just the one bogey to leave him 13 under par.

Brown, 28, also hit a 68 with six birdies and two bogeys as he hopes to earn a PGA Tour card by winning the tournament.

“I’ll try and stay as calm as I can until back nine Sunday, hopefully, and we’ve got a chance, fingers crossed,” Brown said after the day’s play.

Tied in second with Brown on 11 under par are American Adam Long and Swedish player Vincent Norman.

Four more players are one stroke behind, tied in fifth place

Rory McIlroy vowed to handle whatever the weather could throw at him after claiming a narrow lead at the halfway stage of the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.

McIlroy added a second round of 66 to his opening 64 at the Renaissance Club to reach 10 under par, a shot ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton and South Korea’s Tom Kim.

It is the fifth time in his PGA Tour career – the event is co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour – that McIlroy has started a tournament with two scores of 66 or better.

The world number three has a runners-up finish and three wins from those previous four occasions, the most recent being his 2014 Open triumph at Royal Liverpool, venue for the final major of the year next week.

“I hit the ball really well tee to green, gave myself a ton of looks (at birdie),” McIlroy said. “Honestly it felt like four under was probably the worst I could have shot out there.

“But you know, it’s swings in roundabouts. I holed a couple of long ones on Thursday to shoot a good score and then missed a couple today, but overall really pleased with how the last two days have went.”

Saturday’s tee times have been brought forward by several hours due to the forecast for afternoon thunderstorms, with winds gusting up to 40mph predicted for Sunday.

“I don’t really have any expectations,” McIlroy added. “It would be silly of me to try to pick a potential target score to get to.

“So really just embrace the conditions and just sort of make the best of them.

“I know that I’m playing well enough tee to green to give myself some looks and hang in there, so I’m pretty confident going into the next two days, no matter what the weather throws at us.

“I keep saying that yes, we are all looking forward to next week, but I want to go and win this tournament over the weekend.”

Hatton had earlier surged into contention for a first victory in two-and-a-half years with a “stressful” second round of 62.

Asked if his round was as easy as he made it look, Hatton said: “No, it was stressful at times, as most of my rounds are.

“But very happy with the chances I gave myself. I feel I hit a lot of good iron shots today, especially compared to Thursday. Very happy with how that was and nice to see some putts drop, too.

“I had three weeks off after the US Open and you probably saw a little bit on Thursday, I was fatting a few shots.

“I was hitting balls off mats last week and, even though I got here Monday night, I still had not managed to get the ball first. We managed to do that today and hopefully that continues this weekend.”

World number one Scottie Scheffler and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington lie three shots off the lead after rounds of 65 and 66 respectively, Harrington overcoming wet and windy conditions in the first group out at 7.15am.

“I hit a great drive off my first hole of the day, 80 yards short of where I hit it yesterday,” the 51-year-old said.

“The marshals were a full 50 yards away from where they should have been for the first three, four holes because they had no idea how short the ball was going.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever been out first and I was hoping that I might turn up and get a break with the weather, but we kind of got the opposite.

“Then it lightened up obviously after six or seven holes. The ball started going a bit and it got a little easier then.”

Harrington has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016, but has won five times on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months, including successfully defending his title in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last month.

“I feel I can challenge anybody on a links golf course without a doubt,” Harrington said. “From years of playing, it comes natural to me.

“And I don’t have a problem coming back and playing with the young guys on any golf course, but obviously links makes it a little easier for me.”

Former captain Padraig Harrington believes he has two chances to prove he is worthy of becoming the oldest ever Ryder Cup player, 13 years after the last of his six appearances in the biennial event.

Harrington has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016 but has claimed five victories on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months, including successfully defending his title in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last month.

The 51-year-old also started this season with fourth place in Abu Dhabi and finished 27th in the US Open last month, sparking speculation that he could be in the frame for one of captain Luke Donald’s six wild cards.

Raymond Floyd was 51 when he played in the 1993 Ryder Cup at The Belfry, but Harrington will celebrate his 52nd birthday a month before this year’s contest in Rome.

“I don’t think we should take the Seniors Tour into account, it’s different golf,” Harrington said after a second round of 66 left him high on the leaderboard in the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.

“I should be judged on how I play in DP World Tour and PGA Tour events. That’s it. I’ve seen some nice form and I’m gradually getting better and better.

“I played well in Abu Dhabi there but that was a good round with my back to the wall. This has been better in terms of being stress-free. I like what I see this week.

“With regards to the Ryder Cup, I’ve got these two events. I’ll see at the end of the Open. I’ll talk to Luke and see where I stand and, if necessary, I’ll change my schedule and come and play over here.

“I’m meant to be playing a few Senior events in the middle of the summer. But I will change that and play European Tour events if I have a genuine chance. If it’s real.”

Asked if he had already been in contact with Donald, Harrington said: “Luke rang me a couple of weeks ago. He was actually on to congratulate me for my win, but he also said that it would be remiss of him to say he wasn’t watching.

“He asked about my schedule. I said how I play in Scotland and at the Open will determine everything. If I don’t have good weeks it won’t be enough.

“The team looks good. I have to say that. The good players are playing well. The young guys are coming through. And older guys like Justin (Rose) have come back into form.

“I don’t think they are scrambling to need me in the team. They are very solid. Every week in the States we see a European winning or contending. It’s turned a nice corner for Europe.

“It’s nice to have experience, but they are not crying out for it. Although I don’t want to talk myself out if it. But they’re not desperate to have me in the team.”

England’s Tyrrell Hatton surged into contention for a first victory in two and a half years with a “stressful” second round of 62 in the Genesis Scottish Open.

Hatton, who began the day eight shots off the lead, carded nine birdies and a solitary bogey at the Renaissance Club to set an early clubhouse target of nine under par which was matched by South Korea’s Tom Kim.

World number one Scottie Scheffler and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington were two strokes off the pace following rounds of 65 and 66 respectively as the field battled changeable conditions in East Lothian.

Asked if his round was as easy as he made it look, Hatton said: “No, it was stressful at times, as most of my rounds are.

“But very happy with the chances I gave myself. I feel I hit a lot of good iron shots today, especially compared to Thursday. Very happy with how that was and nice to see some putts drop, too.

“I had three weeks off after the US Open and you probably saw a little bit on Thursday I was fatting a few shots.

“I was hitting balls off mats last week and, even though I got here Monday night I still had not managed to get the ball first. We managed to do that today and hopefully that continues this weekend.”

In contrast to Hatton, Harrington felt driving the ball well led to a stress-free 66, despite facing the worst of the wet and windy conditions in the first group out at 7.15am.

“I hit a great drive off my first hole of the day, 80 yards short of where I hit it yesterday,” the 51-year-old said.

“The marshals were a full 50 yards away from where they should have been for the first three, four holes because they had no idea how short the ball was going.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever been out first and I was hoping that I might turn up and get a break with the weather, but we kind of got the opposite. Then it lightened up obviously after six or seven holes. The ball started going a bit and it got a little easier then.”

Harrington has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016, but has won five times on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months, including successfully defending his title in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last month.

“I feel I can challenge anybody on a links golf course without a doubt,” Harrington said. “From years of playing it comes natural to me.

“And I don’t have a problem coming back and playing with the young guys on any golf course, but obviously links makes it a little easier for me.”

Eight years and 11 months. 3,266 days. 78,384 hours.

Whichever way you look at it, by the time the 151st Open Championship gets underway the length of time since Rory McIlroy’s last major victory is truly remarkable.

Since McIlroy followed his Open triumph at Royal Liverpool in 2014 by winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and US PGA Championship in his next two starts, 34 majors have been staged and the 34-year-old Northern Irishman has won none of them.

Brooks Koepka has racked up all five of his victories in that spell, Jordan Spieth three, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa and Dustin Johnson two each, while 18 different players have tasted victory once, including a 50-year-old Phil Mickelson and an injury-ravaged Tiger Woods.

McIlroy has had to settle for commendable consistency, recording 19 top-10s and finishing no worse than eighth in all four majors in 2022, yet genuine chances to win on the back nine on Sunday have been relatively scarce.

In the 2018 Masters – the only major he has not won – McIlroy began the day three behind leader Patrick Reed but had a short eagle putt on the par-five second to draw level with the American. He missed, bogeyed the third to Reed’s birdie and that was effectively that.

At the 2022 US PGA, McIlroy roared into contention with four straight birdies early in the final round and was one shot off the eventual score required for a play-off, only to fade to eighth.

It was a different story two months later as McIlroy shared the lead with Viktor Hovland heading into the final round of the Open at St Andrews, four shots clear of Cameron Smith and Cameron Young.

Two ahead at the turn, McIlroy made his second birdie of the day on the 10th but was overhauled by a surging Smith, the Australian making five birdies in a row to start the back nine and another on the last to complete a stunning 64.

Last month’s US Open offered McIlroy another great chance to end his drought as he moved into a share of the lead with a birdie on the first hole of the final round at Los Angeles Country Club.

However, that proved to be his only one of a frustrating day and it was no surprise that he was overheard muttering “St Andrews all over again” to his manager after a level-par 70 which left him one shot behind winner Wyndham Clark.

Of course “Hoylake all over again” would be a very welcome sense of deja vu for McIlroy following his 2014 triumph, when he led from start to finish and held off a charging Sergio Garcia on the final day to lift the Claret Jug.

It made McIlroy the first European player to win three different majors since the Masters was founded in 1934 and gave him the third leg of a career grand slam completed by just five players in the history of the game.

When another major title followed a month later it was almost inconceivable that McIlroy would be stuck on the same tally nine years later, but there are precedents for ending even lengthier droughts.

Julius Boros and Hale Irwin both won the US Open 11 years apart, while Ben Crenshaw’s Masters victories in 1984 and 1995 came in just six days shy of that mark.

Tiger Woods memorably won the 2019 Masters almost 11 years on from his 2008 US Open win, with Lee Trevino and Ernie Els also cracking the 10-year barrier.

A keen student of the game, chances are McIlroy will be well aware of such facts. Whether he can do anything about adding his name to the list remains to be seen.

Royal Liverpool member Matthew Jordan admits there will be no excuses when he tees it up in his second major on the home course he has played for 20 years.

The 27-year-old, who grew up in nearby West Kirby and lives in Hoylake, followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps by becoming a member at the club while he was still at primary school.

Jordan has played the Wirral links in every conceivable weather and course condition and, while the most significant change for the Open is the switch of routing which means players tee off at what is the members’ 17th hole, he knows he has to take advantage of that knowledge after coming through final qualifying for the second successive year.

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“I would be amazed if there is something I don’t know. I’ve experienced it in all kinds of conditions so I guess there is no kind of excuse now.

“I know pretty much every pin position, I’ve seen it soft, I’ve seen it hard, I’ve seen it with rough up and down.

“I’ll probably play it exactly how I know how to play it but in terms of practice it is going to be a bit strange.”

Royal Liverpool is hosting its third Open in 18 years – after a hiatus of 39 years – and after weeks of primarily dry weather it seems likely conditions will be similar to 2006 when baked hard, fast-running fairways saw Tiger Woods use his driver just once in winning his third Claret Jug.

A major change to the course for this edition has seen the creation of a new 17th hole overlooking the Dee Estuary, a 140-yard par-three with an exposed green surrounded by bunkers which usually plays into the prevailing wind, which has become something of a talking point.

As a member, Jordan remained admirably diplomatic on the subject.

“I think it depends on individual opinion. Me personally, it will depend on conditions and how windy it is, how firm it is as well, as that will make a massive difference into how easy or difficult it will play,” he said.

“My reservations about it are if it will be a good hole for the Open, which will require it being into the wind and not soft and straightforward.

“I’ll have to ask the other pros what they think.”

Royal Liverpool will host the Open Championship for the 13th time in its history from July 20-23.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are the most recent winners at Hoylake, but the course also boasts a rich history of staging the game’s oldest major.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the most memorable moments at the venue.

1907 – Arnaud Massy becomes first overseas winner

Qualifying was introduced for the first time, with players split into two sections and each contesting 36 holes in one day. Massy led the qualifiers from day one and benefited from a day off before the Championship got under way. Rounds of 76 and 81 on Thursday gave the Frenchman a one-shot lead and after falling behind JH Taylor due to a 78 on Friday morning, Massy carded a closing 77 to win by two and become the first overseas winner. He later named his daughter Margot Hoylake Massy.

1930 – Bobby Jones remains on course for historic feat

Jones had already won the Open in 1926 and 1927, but his 1930 victory at Hoylake was part of an unmatched clean sweep of the era’s biggest four championships. After winning the Amateur Championship at St Andrews at the end of May, Jones lifted the Claret Jug for a third time three weeks later as a closing 75 proved enough for a two-shot victory. He returned home to win the US Open in July and the US Amateur in September, completing what became known as the ‘Impregnable Quadrilateral’, before retiring from competitive golf at the age of 28.

1956 – Peter Thomson completes hat-trick

After finishing sixth on his debut at Royal Portrush in 1951, Thomson went on to produce an incredible run of results in the Open and lifted the Claret Jug a total of five times. Despite winning the title in 1954 and 1955, the Australian still had to come through qualifying at Hoylake and Wallasey, but led after 36 and 54 holes and won by three shots from Belgium’s Flory van Donck to become the only player to win a hat-trick of titles in the modern era.

2006 – Tiger Woods bounces back

Woods had missed the cut in a major for the first time as a professional in June’s US Open at Winged Foot, which came after an unprecedented nine-week lay-off following the death of his father Earl. However, the defending champion was in imperious form at a bone-dry Hoylake, hitting driver just once and finding only three bunkers all week as he held off the challenge of Chris DiMarco to win by two shots before breaking down in tears in the arms of caddie Steve Williams.

2014 – Rory McIlroy claims third major title

McIlroy led from start to finish as he completed the third leg of a career grand slam, although he had to hold off a spirited challenge from Ryder Cup team-mate Sergio Garcia in the final round. The two-shot victory made McIlroy the first European player to win three different majors since the Masters was founded in 1934, while it also made his father Gerry and three of his friends £50,000 each after they bet £100 on the 15-year-old at 500-1 a decade ago to lift the Claret Jug before his 26th birthday.

Australia’s Cameron Smith will defend his title when the 151st Open Championship takes place at Royal Liverpool Golf Club from July 20-23.

Smith is bidding to become the first player to retain the Claret Jug since Padraig Harrington (2007-08) as the Open returns to Hoylake, nine years after Rory McIlroy’s wire-to-wire victory.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main contenders for the year’s final major championship.

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy enjoyed a purple patch of form the last time Hoylake staged the Open in 2014, holding off Sergio Garcia to claim a wire-to-wire victory and then winning his next two starts for good measure. The last of those, the US PGA Championship at Valhalla, remains his most recent major title and he was unable to convert a share of the 54-hole lead at St Andrews last year. McIlroy also finished second in the US Open, muttering “St Andrews all over again” to his manager after a closing round containing a solitary birdie at the opening hole.

Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler has been consistency personified in 2023, winning twice and finishing no worse than 12th in any event. A share of 10th in his title defence in the Masters is also his worst result in a major, the world number one finishing second in the US PGA and third in the US Open. Leads the PGA Tour in numerous statistical categories off the tee and into the green, but ranks a lowly 131st in putting and is contesting just his third Open at Hoylake.

Cameron Smith

Smith had already won twice in 2022, including the prestigious Players Championship, before securing his first major title thanks to a brilliant final round of 64 in the 150th Open at St Andrews. The Australian joined LIV Golf the following month but despite being unable to earn ranking points on the Saudi-funded breakaway, remains in the world’s top 10 thanks to finishing ninth in the US PGA and fourth in the US Open. Won his second LIV event in Hertfordshire 10 days before the start of the Open.

Rickie Fowler

Fowler was joint second behind McIlroy in 2014, a year in which he finished in the top five in all four majors, and won on a links course in 2015 when the Scottish Open was stage at Gullane. Suffered a loss of form in recent years but equalled the lowest round in major history last month with an opening 62 in the US Open at Los Angeles Country and ended a four-year winless drought on the PGA Tour two weeks later.

Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood came agonisingly close to winning his maiden PGA Tour title in last month’s Canadian Open, with home favourite Nick Taylor holing from 72 feet for an eagle on the fourth play-off hole. A week later the Ryder Cup star carded a final round of 63 in the US Open for the second time, earning him a tie for fifth. Runner-up to Shane Lowry in the 2019 Open and fourth last year, albeit having never been in contention at St Andrews. The Southport native will have plenty of support at nearby Hoylake.

Rory McIlroy set his sights on heading to Hoylake on the back of victory in the Genesis Scottish Open after enjoying a superb start to the £7million event.

McIlroy recorded an eagle and six birdies in an opening six-under-par 64 at The Renaissance Club that left him three shots off the lead held by South Korea’s Ben An, whose flawless 61 equalled the course record.

“It’s a really good start,” McIlroy said. “I’ve not had particularly great results around this course the last couple of times but I feel like my game is definitely in better shape now.

“I feel like I’m coming in here playing really good golf, producing good results and getting myself in contention and I’m just really trying to do the same things and adapt to the different conditions we’re going to face over the next couple of weeks.”

Next week is, of course, the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where McIlroy won the third of his four major titles nine years ago.

“My mind is pretty much on this week,” the 34-year-old added. “I’ve got myself off to a great start and I would love to win the Scottish Open.

“That’s a massive deal in its own right and what that could give me going into the summer… look we’ve got the Open Championship next week but thinking ahead to FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai and all that, it’s an important week.

“I’m focused on this week but it’s great that by playing this week I should be getting a little bit more prepared for links golf again next week as well.

“I didn’t touch my clubs for 10 days after the Travelers but I’ve got some really good feelings in my swing that I think are quite consistent and even if I do take a bit of time away I feel really comfortable getting back into it.

“It was a nice reset but after today it feels like I came back where I left off.”

An, who was the youngest ever winner of the US Amateur as a 17-year-old in 2009, carded nine birdies to enjoy a two-shot lead over American Davis Riley, with Thomas Detry alongside McIlroy on six under.

“I feel like I’m back home,” said An, who won the 2015 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth by six shots but now plays primarily on the PGA Tour.

“This is the Tour I started my professional career. It’s been great coming back and playing links golf. I couldn’t play any better today, I drove it well and hit it well and chipped it well and putted well. That’s a clean scorecard.”

Detry came agonisingly close to winning one of the sponsor’s cars for himself and his caddie with a hole-in-one on the 17th, but was delighted to be back at one of his favourite venues.

“It was inches away so I’m looking forward to seeing the highlights of that shot,” said Detry, who finished 10th last year and lost out in a play-off with Matt Fitzpatrick and eventual winner Min Woo Lee in 2021.

“It’s my playground here. I always play well. I have a lovely little cottage out here on the golf course. I’m staying here with my family and everybody is happy. I feel good.”

Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson led the home challenge following a four-under-par 66, with world number one Scottie Scheffler two strokes further back.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele had to birdie two of his last four holes to return a level-par 70.

Rory McIlroy has his sights set on heading into the Open Championship on the back of victory in the Genesis Scottish Open after enjoying a superb start to the £7million event.

McIlroy recorded an eagle and six birdies in an opening six-under-par 64 at The Renaissance Club that left him three shots off the lead held by South Korea’s Ben An, whose flawless 61 equalled the course record.

“It’s a really good start,” McIlroy said. “I’ve not had particularly great results around this course the last couple of times but I feel like my game is definitely in better shape now.

“I feel like I’m coming in here playing really good golf, producing good results and getting myself in contention and I’m just really trying to do the same things and adapt to the different conditions we’re going to face over the next couple of weeks.”

Next week is, of course, the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where McIlroy won the third of his four major titles nine years ago.

“My mind is pretty much on this week,” the 34-year-old added. “I’ve got myself off to a great start and I would love to win the Scottish Open.

“That’s a massive deal in its own right and what that could give me going into the summer… look we’ve got the Open Championship next week but thinking ahead to FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai and all that, it’s an important week.

“I’m focused on this week but it’s great that by playing this week I should be getting a little bit more prepared for links golf again next week as well.

“I didn’t touch my clubs for 10 days after the Travelers but I’ve got some really good feelings in my swing that I think are quite consistent and even if I do take a bit of time away I feel really comfortable getting back into it.

“It was a nice reset but after today it feels like I came back where I left off.”