By Martin Watt.
Ludvig Aberg impressively kept defending champion Rory McIlroy at arm’s length by shooting a second successive 64 to hold the halfway lead at the Scottish Open.
Swede Aberg went bogey free and carded six birdies to reach 12 under at the Renaissance Club, to be one clear of Frenchman Antoine Rozner.
McIlroy, who was among the later starters, sat alongside Collin Morikawa a further two shots back following a four-under 66.
Spaniard Alejandro del Rey was in the same group after a 62 – the lowest round of the day – fuelled by birdies at each of his first six holes, while Sungjae Im and Matteo Manassero were one shot better off in a share of third at 10 under.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre remained in the hunt with a 65 that hoisted him to eight under while first-round leader Justin Thomas faltered with a 72 to fall six off the pace.
Aberg, who burst on to the professional scene with a PGA Tour win and debut Ryder Cup success last year, already looks a natural on the biggest stages.
Having finished runner-up in his first major at the Masters in April, Aberg led at halfway in the US Open last month and will make his Open debut at Royal Troon next week.
He was nonchalance personified as he matched his opening round in East Lothian.
With conditions once again favourable, the 24-year-old Swede made hay as the sun shone, picking up strokes on 11 – his second hole – and 14 before superseding Im at the top of the leaderboard with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17.
More gains followed on the par-five third and short fifth when Aberg splashed out of bunkers each time and rolled in the putts.
“I wouldn’t describe myself as a superstar – all I try to do is play good golf,” he said.
“Whether these last 12 months have changed my life on the golf course, it hasn’t changed my life off the course. I’m still the same personality.
“Any time you shoot 64, it’s a good day. We handled the golf course very well and never tried to force anything.”
McIlroy came out firing with three early birdies – the pick of them when he drove the green on the 300-yard fifth – but by his own reckoning was “a little scrappy from there on in”.
He made birdies at the 10th and 13th, with his sole dropped shot coming on 11 after needing a penalty drop when an errant drive landed next to a tree.
And there were echoes of the Northern Irishman’s recent US Open misery as he missed a birdie chance from inside four feet on the 16th.
“I’m probably standing here feeling like I should be sort of around Ludvig’s score if not a little bit better after the last couple days, but I’m still in good position,” McIlroy said.
“Hopefully I can put it all together over the weekend and not leave those shots out there.”
Home favourite MacIntyre, playing alongside McIlroy in a group that drew large crowds, drained a 19-footer on the par-three sixth for one of five birdies in his 65.
“Some of the noise is absolutely unbelievable, like when I made that two on six,” said MacIntyre.
“It’s what we play golf for – it gives you the biggest smile and goosebumps. It’s why this tournament means so much.”
Del Rey, a late replacement for Sebastian Soderberg, had fans on ’59 watch’ when he blazed to six under through six and added another birdie on 10.
A bogey two holes later stalled his charge but he immediately retrieved a stroke and added another birdie on 16 to post 62.
“After six holes I was six under but still didn’t feel like I was hitting the ball as good as I wanted,” said the world number 311.
“I was hitting decent shots at the right moment and making putts, but I still struggled a little bit off the tee all day.”
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick was a stroke above the projected cut line of three under after his 69, but Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose are among those who will not be around for the weekend.
Scotland’s Grant Forrest ensured he made the cut after a dramatic finish on the 18th, with his approach from more than 190 yards lipping out before he knocked in the birdie to sign for a 69 and sit four under.