Scottish Open 2026: Jon Rahm return & course changes

The Scottish Open is a massive event in its own right and, as Rahm intimated, its slot on the calendar immediately preceding The Open does no harm in enticing the game’s best players.

With the final major of the season looming tantalisingly at Royal Birkdale next week, the chance for players to sharpen their game on a links layout is a gimme.

Scheffler and McIlroy, the world number one and two respectively, are the headline acts, while fellow top-10 star, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, eyes his fourth title of a fruitful season.

Defending champion Gotterup also has three wins already this year and arrives in fine fettle after surging to victory at the John Deere Classic on Sunday with his brother on the bag.

“I really do enjoy coming over here,” Gotterup said. “I’m on my fourth week in a row, but I was saying to people, I feel like when I come over here it’s a fresh start because it’s so different from what we are used to.

“I really enjoy it. It’s a lot of fun walking into town every night and walking North Berwick to the course. It’s a fun, different change of pace for us.”

Scheffler’s solitary victory so far in 2026 represents something of a drought by his impeccably high standards.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, having sensationally completed a back-to-back Masters triumph in April, now tees it up for the first time since a disappointing tied-32nd place at the US Open last month.

At least the Scottish Open tends to bring out the best in McIlroy, who triumphed in 2023 and has made the top five in both visits since.

Current US Open champion Wyndham Clark and US PGA winner Aaron Rai are also eyeing the prize, while five-time major champion Brooks Koepka ends an 11-year absence from the tournament.

Robert MacIntyre, the 2024 champion, leads home hopes and joins McIlroy and Gotterup in a box-office grouping for the first two days.