"Just needed that little bit of time" – Rory McIlroy says he arrived at Genesis Scottish Open with 'renewed enthusiasm'

Rory McIlroy is in contention to win the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open this week. The Northern Irish golfer has had a roller-coaster ride this season on the PGA Tour. After completing his career Grand Slam with a victory at the 2025 Masters, he struggled with his game.

However, he has been phenomenal this week at the DP World Tour and PGA Tour's co-sanctioned event, taking the lead after three rounds. In the post-round press conference on Saturday, Rory McIlroy said that he entered the tournament with "renewed enthusiasm and excitement." He said (via ASAP Sports):

"It's my first realistic chance to win after the Masters, and I've had a great season. I won at Pebble. I won PLAYERS. I said this, when you do something that you've been dreaming your whole life to do, it was a huge moment in my life, my career. The I think I just needed that little bit of time.

"And to be back here for last couple weeks, and feel like I could actually digest all of it, I feel like I came to this tournament with renewed enthusiasm and excitement for the rest of the year," he added.

Rory McIlroy played a round of 65 on Saturday, which helped him jump five spots on the leaderboard to settle in a two-way tie for the lead at 11-under with Chris Gotterup. Wyndham Clark settled in a four-way tie for third place with Jake Knapp, Marco Penge, and Matt Fitzpatrick.

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Rory McIlroy reflects on his third-round performance at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open

McIlroy started the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open on the first tee hole and made a birdie on the third. He carded two birdies and a bogey on the front nine and then three birdies on the back nine for a round of 4-under 66.

In the post-round press conference, Rory McIlroy reflected on his performance and said (via ASAP Sports):

"A little bit of the same, I think. I was even par through seven. Made a really good bounceback birdie on after the bogey on 7. I felt like the conditions were tougher as the day went on and the back nine played more difficult today than it did yesterday, at least for me.

"I think the wind and the conditions we got are sort of similar to what the afternoon wave got yesterday. But I controlled my ball flight well and did what I needed to do, close on the last two holes as well. Overall happy with the day's work," he added.

He started the campaign with an opening round of 68, followed by a 65 in the next round. Earlier this season on the PGA Tour, he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and then The Players Championship. In his last outing at the Travelers Championship, he settled in a tie for sixth place.