On a breezy day along the coast of North Berwick, Scotland, the 2025 Scottish Open opened with a demanding first round at the Renaissance Club, where the world‘s top golfers faced tough conditions that yielded a scoring average around par. Leading the charge after the opening 18 holes is a quartet of players—Sepp Straka, Jake Knapp, Nico Echavarria, and Victor Perez—each shooting an impressive 64, six-under-par on the par-70 layout.
This challenging wind off the coast added complexity, forcing players to adapt their shots and strategy throughout the day. These four leaders managed to navigate the conditions expertly, locking themselves in a tight race as the tournament approaches the final major championship of the season.
Group sharing the lead includes first-time winners and a potential three-time winner
The four-way leaders each have their own motivations entering the week. Knapp, Echavarria, and Perez are all chasing their first tournament victory in 2025, while Straka hopes to join Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler as the only three-time winners this season. Their collective 64s reflect exceptional play in difficult conditions, particularly on a course that rewards precision and punishes mistakes.
Sepp Straka credited his short game for keeping him in contention. The Austrian produced his best putting performance this season, gaining over 4.5 strokes putting, including a 75% success rate on putts from 10 to 15 feet—well above his season average of 33.7%. Straka remarked,
“Short game was really nice. I chipped it really well,”
Straka said.
“Made some putts and I hit the ball OK, driver was a little bit squirrely, but yeah, short game saved me today. The wind picked up around the turn, and when I got the ball in play, my iron play was pretty good and took advantage of it. But a lot of squirrely drives as well. A few up-and-downs saved me. It was a nice way to finish.”
Scottie Scheffler starts strong but faces putting challenges bouncing back from windy conditions
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler kicked off his Scottish Open campaign with early promise, sinking a long eagle putt on the opening hole and collecting multiple birdies throughout the round. Despite an uneven mix of birdies and bogeys, Scheffler ended the day at three under par with a score of 67, sitting just a few strokes behind the leaders.
He acknowledged the value of adjusting to the wind, stating,
“It definitely got a bit breezy out there at times, not like it can really blow here but there’s definitely a breeze,”
Scheffler said.
“That’s something that’s got to be factored in on pretty much every shot. It was a good amount of wind to play on this course. It makes the course play really nice where you get rewarded for hitting high-quality shots and you get punished for hitting some poor ones.”
While his ball striking remained solid, Scheffler struggled notably on the greens, ranking outside the top 100 in putting for the day. He admitted,
“I feel like I could have got a little bit more out of my round,”
Scheffler said.
“I felt like I did some good things that I didn’t quite get rewarded for after my start but you know, 3-under, I wish I could have had a couple of bogeys back but overall, not too bad.”
Key contenders including Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland push hard toward the weekend
Ludvig Åberg, Scheffler’s Ryder Cup teammate, found a rhythm with his ball striking despite limited assistance from his putter. Like Scheffler, Åberg carded a 67, staying within striking distance of the leaders. The consistency of his shots suggests potential competitiveness in the coming rounds.
Viktor Hovland made an impressive showing during the evening session, firing a flawless 66 that highlighted his ability to avoid bogeys and capitalize on scoring opportunities. His round featured an outstanding save to start the day and a lengthy birdie attempt from over 50 feet on the par-4 second hole.
Hovland explained the varying conditions he faced:
“It was a little bit breezy when we first started, but it was still gettable,”
Hovland said.
“But now towards the back nine, kind of the last 12 holes we played, it got pretty nice. So really wanted to take advantage of the good conditions.”
The Norwegian’s consistent performance puts him in a strong position to chase the leaders, particularly given the back nine at Renaissance Club favors aggressive scoring opportunities.
Other strong contenders remain close as competition intensifies on Day 2
Trailing the leaders by one stroke are Matti Schmid, Marcel Siem, Calum Hill, and Marco Penge, each sitting at five under after the opening round. One stroke further back at four under are players like Keith Mitchell, Wyndham Clark, Ryan Fox, Tom Kim, and Hovland. Just outside this group in a tie for 14th at three under are Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Åberg, Maverick McNealy, Sam Burns, and several others.
The leaderboard shows significant depth, signaling that momentum shifts could be decisive as the tournament progresses. Players like McIlroy and Xander Schauffele also remain near the top, demonstrating the competitive environment at the Renaissance Club.
Collin Morikawa partners with new caddie and posts solid opening score
For the third consecutive tournament, Collin Morikawa worked with a new caddie, teaming up with Billy Foster for this two-week stretch of links golf. Morikawa posted an opening round 68, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 third hole, displaying steady play throughout the day.
Morikawa praised his partnership with Foster, sharing,
“I think he was liking the putts that were dropping. I made quite a few throughout that middle round of the stretch — or middle stretch of the round. But it’s just a lot of fun. He’s obviously got a lot of stories, and I enjoy those. Just asking questions about Seve, Westwood and Clarke and even Fitz. He’s not tried to change my game, but he’s already learned my game and how I need to play out here. And I’ve leaned a lot on him so far through one round, and I’m going to keep doing that the next two weeks.”
Updated 2025 Scottish Open betting odds signal confidence in top contenders
The latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook show Scottie Scheffler as the favorite at 4-1, reflecting his status as World No. 1 and recent form. Sepp Straka follows at 9-1, while Rory McIlroy, Jake Knapp, and Victor Perez share 14-1 odds. Viktor Hovland sits at 16-1, offering value considering his strong opening round and proximity to the leaders. Nico Echavarria, Ludvig Åberg, and Xander Schauffele round out the notable names at 25-1.
Given the tight leaderboard and varying conditions expected in the coming rounds, the tournament remains wide open. Players who can control their short game and capitalize on scoring chances amid the coastal winds will likely make significant moves as the competition intensifies toward the weekend.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What exactly happened to Scottie Scheffler?
A. Smith stated that on Christmas Day, Scottie got a puncture on his right hand’s palm from broken glass while making dinner. Small pieces of glass stayed in his hand, needing surgery for removal. He is expected to fully recover in three to four weeks.