Scottie Scheffler’s four-year run of 78 successive made cuts finally came to an end as the world No.1 crashed out of the Scottish Open on Friday.

Meanwhile, world No.2 Rory McIlroy boasts a share of top spot after 36 holes at the Renaissance Club, where Australia’s Min Woo Lee is just one shot off the lead.

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One consolation for Scheffler is his exit gives him more time to become familiar with the Royal Birkdale course near Liverpool where he will begin the defence of his British Open title, the oldest of golf’s four major championships, next week.

The four-time major winner arrived in North Berwick, near Edinburgh, bidding for a first win on Scottish soil but a second-round 72, two over par, finished a sequence of made cuts that had lasted for 1,428 days.

LEADERBOARD: All the scores from the Scottish Open

Scottie Scheffler of the United States walks across on the ninth green on day two of the Genesis Scottish Open 2026 at The Renaissance Club.Source: Getty Images

By contrast, McIlroy posted 66 to retain a share of the lead at nine-under par.

The Northern Irishman, who became just the sixth player in golf history to complete a career Grand Slam of major titles with victory in the US Masters in April, is tied at the top of the leaderboard with Englishman Jordan Smith — who posted an impressive 63 on Friday — and South Korea’s Tom Kim.

“Yeah, I thought I played well again,” McIlroy said.

“You know, the wind definitely got up for us in the afternoon. We got off to a really nice start. Then sort of by the turn the wind had got to hits strongest and felt like it was hard to get the ball close to the pins and we were all making a lot of pars out there.

“Yeah, it would have been nice to be a couple better. But you know, it’s obviously another good day and in good position.”

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Scheffler bowed out on level par, two strokes shy of the cut. He needed a chip-in birdie on the last to have any hope of reaching the third round, but ended with a bogey instead.

The 30-year-old American’s departure meant he failed to make the weekend of a PGA Tour event — the Scottish Open is a co-sanctioned tournament — for the first time since the 2022 FedEx St Jude Championship.

“A little different to what I was planning,” said Scheffler. “I’ll figure how to get down to Birkdale and kind of go from there.

“This week I really wanted to play well and this is a golf course I feel like I can play well on — I just haven’t for some reason.”

“It could be one of those things where you just get over jet-lag, get used to a new style of golf, and maybe I just haven’t adjusted as quick or this golf course just doesn’t suit my eye much,” he added.

Jon Rahm, in his first PGA Tour event outside the majors since his controversial move to LIV in 2023 shot a second-round 65 to get to two under and make the cut, having been five over after 11 holes on Thursday.

Further up the leaderboard, Lee shot a second straight 66 to move to eight-under par alongside world No.4 Matt Fitzpatrick.

The Australian caught fire on the back nine with an eagle at the par 5 12th before birdies at 14, 15 and 17.

“It was probably one of the best shots I’ve hit in a while, 2-iron off the deck and hit it to maybe 14, 15 feet and holed the putt. So, yeah, definitely helps,” Lee said of the eagle. “Yeah, played really well. Felt like — I mean, I looked at the scores, and the scores didn’t look like they were running away. So I knew it was somewhat tough. So it was nice to see that. And, yeah, just went well on the back nine, put myself in good positions and holed some putts.”

The 27-year-old won this event back in 2021, but has not had the form he would like in recent times.

Lee made a strong start to the PGA Tour season earlier in the year, but missed the cut at The Masters and the US Open.

“Yeah, I think just a bit of patience. I think we all know that you can get tough bounces over here. But also just being kind to myself,” he said when asked about his high standards and how it is to be back in the United Kingdom.

“I feel like I’ve been beating myself up on the course. And all these little things that — you know, that don’t go your way, felt like it got to me very easily. And grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a big deal. So just realising that and just trying to play golf and be happy.”

Min Woo Lee of Australia looks across the ninth green on day one of the Genesis Scottish Open 2026 at The Renaissance Club.Source: Getty Images

Fellow Australian Karl Vilips surged up the leaderboard with a 64 that was only bettered on the day by co-leader Jordan Smith’s 63.

Vilips sits three shots off the lead at six-under par, while Cam Davis is four-under after a 66 marked a welcome to return to form.

Davis’ world ranking has plummeted to 336 having missed the cut in six of his last seven events and having a best finish on the PGA Tour this year of tied 67th.

Australian veteran Adam Scott made the cut on the number at two-under.