Golf
All you need to know about 2024 Scottish Open as McIlroy returns to Renaissance
The build-up to the 152nd Open Championship will ramp up next week at the prestigious Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.
The Scottish Open is an elevated Rolex Series Event on the DP World Tour and serves as the perfect warm-up act to The Open each summer.
Rory McIlroy beat Robert MacIntyre by one stroke to claim glory in North Berwick last year.
And another all-star field will assemble on the famous links headlined by McIlroy who will be playing his first tournament since his US Open heartbreak.
Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship in May, will also return to Renaissance having claimed victory there in 2022.
The famous course has held the Scottish Open since 2019 and has other former champions in Min Woo Lee, Aaron Rai and Bernd Wiesberger.
Scottish Open 2024: Date and how to follow
The 42nd edition of the Scottish Open is being held from Thursday, July 11 to Sunday, July 14.
It is taking place at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.
Play will start at 7am on the opening two days and at 8:30am over the weekend.
talkSPORT will have regular updates from Scotland throughout the week.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
Listen via the talkSPORT app here, or on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
The action will also be shown live on Sky Sports Golf throughout the week too.
Sky Sports will begin their extended coverage from 8am on Thursday.
Scottish Open 2024: Field and tee times
The field will be made up of 156 players before the cut on Friday night.
Tee times and groupings for the opening two rounds will be announced on Tuesday and can be found here.
This is a Rolex Series Event and as such, will enjoy a superb field.
As well as McIlroy and Schauffele, Open champion Brian Harman will tee it up as will fellow major winners Wyndham Clark, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas.
Ryder Cup stars Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland will be in action alongside Max Homa, Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tom Kim.
LIV Golf players have not been invited but will be at The Open in Troon the following week.
The latest leaderboard can be found here once the action gets up and running.
Scottish Open 2024: Course details
The Renaissance Club is the centre-piece of Scotland’s golf coast and is now the permanent home of the Scottish Open.
The course, located between the famous Muirfield and North Berwick Golf Clubs, will play to a par 70 and a maximum yardage of 7,237 yards this year.
Renaissance has a long, tricky start while the finish is a classic mix of an easier par 5 followed by a demanding par 3 and a long par 4.
The short par 3 sixth always provides entertainment as a host of deep pot bunkers await any wayward tee shots.
The par 4 13th is also a fan favourite. Located right on the beachfront, the hole tempts players to go for the green despite it being 412 yards as the right wind can carry it all the way.
Scottish Open 2024: What has been said?
McIlroy hit a sublime 200-yard two-iron stinger onto the 18th to set up a title-winning birdie at the Scottish Open last year.
It was one of a number of stunning shots from the Northern Irishman in North Berwick as he scooped the £1.2million prize.
He said: “That was such a tough day, especially the back nine.
“To play that back nine in four under par to win the tournament, I’m really proud of how I just stuck in there.
“It’s nice to have the validation. It’s great racking up top fives and top 10s, but it’s much nicer heading away with a trophy on a Sunday afternoon.
“I hit some amazing shots down the stretch and was able to finish it off with a really nice putt there. It feels incredible.
“The five iron on 17 and then that two iron into the last, they are two of the best iron shots I can remember hitting, especially under the circumstances. That two iron on 18 is probably going to be up there with one of the best shots I’ll hit in my career.”