“It’s fantastic,” McIntyre said. “To come home and have the domestic support, I said this from the beginning, I just want to get a chance before Sunday, and I’ve given myself that chance. Coming back home to Scotland, I said this from the beginning , This is what I want, but I can only control myself, and I have controlled myself very well so far, I have 18 holes to control myself even more.
“I’m not ashamed to say it: the Scottish Open is what I want. It’s not going to change tomorrow. I’m in that position. I’m doing good things. I’m playing well. Not just this week, But for the last eight weeks, I feel like my game is in good shape, there’s another round of golf tomorrow, and I just have to control myself, and if I do well, I’ll be in there with a chance. “Going to happen.”
McIntyre’s march toward the top of the leaderboard began Saturday with an eagle-3 on the par-4 5th. Connecting from 40 feet out, the thick left-hander was on the run. Three birdies on his next seven holes put the crowd favorite at 15 under and he hit a speed bump in the form of bogey on the difficult par-3 12th.
Back-to-back birdie bids on Nos. 15-16 were answered shortly thereafter, putting McIntyre’s name clear of all others. Behind him on the golf course, Aberg struggled in the early part of his back nine carding bogeys on Nos. 11-12, which slowed his pace.
McIntyre’s lead immediately dropped to two, but his first 3 putts of the day on the last turned into his second bogey of the round as he dropped to 15-under. Aberg’s blade par save on the par-5 16th and par-3 17th and late birdies meant the young Swede would sleep alone on the lead for the second consecutive evening.
While Aberg’s name tops the leaderboard through 54 holes, it is McIntyre who will be chanted with enthusiasm on Sunday. Hoping to correct the mistakes of last year’s tournament, when a birdie at the last was not enough to stop Rory McIlroy, McIntyre finds himself in position again with a nation full of golf fans behind him.
“I’m ecstatic,” McIntyre said. “The last is a tough hole, whether it’s flat calm, downhill, into the wind, it’s tough. And when they put the pin, the top shelf makes it even tougher. Overall I played absolutely brilliant Tee-to-green solid again. Rolled the putter beautifully, just let it happen.”
Leader
1. Ludwig Aberg (-17)
If it felt strange from Aberg in Round 3, there was a good reason for that – at least to his standards. The world number four hit 8 of 13 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation, but would still be able to increase his margin from one stroke to two. After playing his first 10 holes in impeccable 4-under fashion, Aberg started to take on some water with bogeys on the par-4 11th and par-3 12th, but unlike his counterparts, he finished like a champion. Three birdies on his final six holes turned a two-stroke deficit into a two-stroke lead.
other contenders
2. Robert McIntyre (-15)
3. Adam Scott (-14)
T4. Colin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Sungjae Im, Antoine Rosner (-13)
T8. Rory McIlroy, Eric van Rooyen, Matteo Manassero (-12)
The ending for most of the chasing pack left a lot to be desired. Thegala took the lead at 15 under with a birdie at No. 16, but dropped shots on the final two holes left him on 18, four balls clear of Aberg. He is now tied for 5th over the last two holes this week while Morikawa and McIlroy both also bogeyed No. 18 on Saturday. Theegala and Morikawa are among several PGA Tour stars who are without a win this season, while McIlroy aims to become the first player to successfully defend his Scottish Open title.
“Kept hitting good shots. Especially the last few holes,” McIlroy said. “Missed, I think for birdie I had three 8-footers on 15, 16, 17 that I couldn’t convert, and you know, bogey on the last. So the last four holes, I probably Might be the worst I’ve played, which is unfortunate because I thought I could have been right there, about 15 under, and to lose a run at the end is disappointing.”
importance of fast start
Scoring conditions have been ideal at The Renaissance Club this week, but it is particularly the first third of the golf course where birdies are a must. On Saturday, the first six holes were played more than one stroke under par, with players like McIntyre, Theegala and Tommy Fleetwood playing them in 4-under fashion or better. With Aberg holding a two-stroke lead, Sunday will require a fast start from the chasing pack. Lucky for them it will be there.
“You get a good start and you try to keep that momentum going,” McIlroy said. “I didn’t start as fast on the front nine as I did yesterday. But I’m going to need that tomorrow. I’m going to need at least three under to five to get myself right over the lead and there “Try to keep it going.”
2024 Scottish Open updated odds and selections
- Ludwig Aberg: 4/7
- Robert McIntyre: 9/2
- Adam Scott: 12-1
- Collin Morikawa: 12-1
- Rory McIlroy: 14-1
- Sungjae Im: 18-1
- Sahith Thigala: 22-1
Leading by two, Aberg’s high floor combined with his firepower should allow him to claim his biggest win to date. I don’t hate the 4/7 price, but if there is any interest from an outsider, McIlroy could be that guy. He ranked third in strokes gained off the tee, second in strokes gained off the tee and first in strokes gained around the green on the week. The five-stroke margin is huge, but we’ve seen Rory come agonizingly close before, and his statistical profile suggests such a Sunday performance.