By the time Rory McIlroy reached the sixth tee box, he could already sense he wasn't far from the danger zone at the Scottish Open on Thursday. After a 332-yard drive, McIlroy reached the green in two and had a putt for birdie on the par-4 first.

Rory McIlroy is looking to end his golden year with a strong performance at next week's Open Championship, and has issued a subtle reminder to his PGA Tour rivals ahead of Portrush

McIlroy said he could hear the excitement in the voices of friends talking about his Masters win. And there’s the anticipation of two weeks of a different brand of golf, the Scottish Open that starts Thursday and then the British Open at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland.