Scottish Open 2023 Leaderboard and Odds - How Things Stand After Day 1

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The first round of the 2023 Scottish Open is now in the books and the top page of the leaderboard includes both fresh faces and world-class stars. It was a low-scoring day around The Renaissance Club with some players shooting lower rounds in one day than Xander Schauffele, last year’s winner, did over 72 holes last year.

The setup around North Berwick was friendly for aggressive golf while the conditions in Scotland were sublime. Considering the forecast for the weekend, it may well have been a case of making hay while the sun shined. After 18 holes, South Korean Byeong Hun An sits on top of the pile after a sublime round of 61 but there are plenty of big names circling beneath him.

Scottish Open 2023 Leaderboard

Contents

1 Scottish Open 2023 Leaderboard
2 Round one highlights
3 Scottish Open updated odds

Position/Player		Total	R1
1	Byeong Hun An (KOR)	-9	61
2	Davis Riley (USA)	-7	63
T3	Thomas Detry (BEL)	-6	64
T3	Rory McIlroy (NI)	-6	64
T5	Lee Kyoung-hoon (KOR)	-5	65
T5	Yannik Paul (GER)	-5	65
T7	Will Gordon (USA)	-4	66
T7	Ewen Ferguson (SCO)	-4	66
T7	Oliver Bekker (KSA)	-4	66
T7	Max Homa (USA)	-4	66
T7	Ross Fisher (ENG)	-4	66

Round one highlights

Byeong Hun-An leads the way

After the opening 18 holes at The Renaissance Club, Byeong Hun-An leads the way after a round of golf that not many people would have seen coming. The South Korean 31-year-old hasn’t had the best year on the PGA Tour with only three top-ten finishes to his name, however, his talent has always been undeniable.

Back as an amateur, he became the youngest person in history to win the US-Amateur in 2009 and he has gone on to win two events on the PGA Tour. Both of those wins have come in each of the previous two seasons which suggests he is due another one at some point this season if that pattern is to continue.

If his opening effort in Scotland is anything to go by then who is to say that that win can’t come this week? He played faultlessly throughout his 18 holes, carding nine birdies and zero bogeys on the way to a nine-under-par round of 61. Going into round two, he holds a two-shot lead over Davis Riley.

Shoots 61, heads to the range.
Leader @byeonghunan explains why.#GenesisScottishOpen | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/3TZOJFJKIe
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 13, 2023

Rory starts off hot

Heading into this week, Rory McIlroy was a predicted winner by many due to several reasons. Firstly, he typically performs well on links golf courses and secondly, his recent form is very good. Ever since he sorted his driver issues out, he has finished in the top ten in five consecutive events and came excruciatingly close to ending his major drought at the US Open last month.

On day one at The Renaissance Club, the Northern Irishman played expertly to card a six-under-par round of 64. The highlight of his round was a three on the par-five third hole which McIlroy tackled on his back nine. After a booming drive and solid approach, the 34-year-old sunk a 15 ft putt to bounce back from a disappointing bogey on the second.

Heading into the second round, he is three shots off the pace but the signs are all there that this will be a productive week for the world number three.

Schauffele starts slow

Defending champion, Xander Schauffele, didn’t get off to the quickest of starts on Thursday but he will be pleased with how he finished considering he was two-over-par with just five holes to play. The 29-year-old didn’t find life particularly easy around The Renaissance Club on Thursday despite the course playing easier than it did last year.

The world number six, who is still searching for his first win of the season, gained and gave away shots all day and ended with a score of even par. Last year, he won the event with a score of -7, a number that will almost certainly be blown out of the water this year if round one is anything to go by.

Struggling stars

Although the likes of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas all enjoyed under-par rounds to ensure they are alive in the tournament, there were plenty of big names who found life difficult around The Renaissance Club on Thursday.

Notable poor performers include Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth, who both carded two-over-par rounds of 72, and Viktor Hovland who is one short further adrift on +3. All three men will face an uphill battle on Friday to make the cut.