Genesis Scottish Open: Rory McIlroy falls back as Bob MacIntyre and Matt Fitzpatrick share lead after third round
Rory McIlroy struggled after a strong opening two rounds before fog caused the third round of the Genesis Scottish Open to be suspended; England's Matt Fitzpatrick and home favourite Bob MacIntyre both sit atop the leaderboard after third round play was completed early on Sunday morning
Sunday 12 July 2026 12:09, UK
Rory McIlroy slipped back as Bob MacIntyre and Matt Fitzpatrick claimed a share of the lead heading into the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open.
Third round play at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick was completed on Sunday morning after fog caused play on Saturday evening to be suspended at 7.55pm (BST).
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McIlroy, who entered Saturday with a share of the lead following his first and second rounds, started his third round in poor fashion, making three bogeys on holes three, five and seven before he walked back into the clubhouse at six-under par.
It was a totally different type of day for MacIntyre, though, who showed he can handle the playing conditions in his home country as well as anyone.
The Oban-born star placed himself perfectly for a tilt at a second Scottish Open title following his triumph two years ago.
When play resumed at 7am (BST) on Sunday, he was two under for his third round and quickly picked up birdies on 11, 13 and 14 before a superb up-and-down at the last, when he recovered for a par thanks to a magnificent approach shot after hitting his drive into a fairway bunker.
Ryder Cup team-mate Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, claimed his share of the lead by holing a 30-footer on the 18th green after nine successive pars.
The 2022 US Open champion sits in a tie for first with Min Woo-Lee, who carded three birdies and a bogey on the back nine as the Australian also moved to 12-under par alongside the British pair. All three will tee off their final round at 2.50pm (BST) on Sunday.
Fitzpatrick and Lee contested a play-off in this tournament five years ago, with Lee overcoming Fitzpatrick and Thomas Detry with a birdie on the first extra hole.
Defending champion Chris Gotterup is one shot further back alongside Tom Kim, who would've been tied for the lead if he hadn't bogeyed 18, alongside Michael Thorbjornsen who rose 12 places up the leaderboard on Saturday, posting a score of five under through 13 holes before his round was cut short.
US Open winner Wyndham Clark is a shot further back at 10-under par alongside Japan's Keita Nakajima and Americans Kevin Roy and Johnny Keefer, whose low third round score of 64 propelled him 22 places up the leaderboard.
Danny Willett is three shots off the pace at nine-under par but a strong start to the final round could see the 2016 Masters champion put himself very much in the mix.
Tournament organisers announced it will not be played before 10.15am on Sunday, so there's a short turnaround for players who finished their third round in the morning.
McIlroy horror show on Saturday leaves six-time major winner with uphill task
Rory McIlroy struggled with multiple aspects of his game on Saturday after being in red-hot form earlier this week and carded a three-over 73 to fall six shots behind the leading group.
McIlroy had previously dubbed his clinical opening round of 65 the 'complete performance' but that form deserted the 37-year-old as the fog descended.
He chunked a tee-shot on the par-three fifth hole 125 yards to the fringes of the front of the green.
On the seventh hole, McIlroy cut a driver into the rough, before hacking a recovery shot out of a bush and onto the fairway nine yards in front of himself, back into the rough.
McIlroy ended his Saturday scrambling for par on the eighth hole, after missing his approach shot left of the green.
He got back under way with another bogey on Sunday morning to hit the turn in four over for the third round and parred the entirety of the back nine before a birdie on 18 provided scant consolation.
Watch the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open live on Sky Sports+ from 10am on Sunday. Get Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract
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