2024 Scottish Open leaderboard: Robert MacIntyre surges as Ludvig Åberg takes two-stroke lead after Round 3

Rory McIlroy and home country hero, Robert MacIntyre, are among those on the chase in Scotland

If at first you do not succeed, then try again. After coming oh so close last year at becoming the second man from Scotland to claim his national open, Robert MacIntyre has positioned himself to do just that at the 2024 Scottish Open. Making the most of his Moving Day at The Renaissance Club, the Scotsman fired a 7-under 63 – the low round of the day -- to get to 15 under and just two off the 54-hole pace set by Ludvig Åberg at 17 under.

"It's brilliant," MacIntyre said. "To come home and have the home support, I said it from the start, I just want to be in with a chance going into Sunday, and I've given myself that chance. Back home in Scotland, I said it from the start, it's one I want, but I can only control me, and I've controlled myself very well so far. I have 18 holes to control myself even more. 

"I've not been shy in saying it: The Scottish Open is the one I want. It's not going to change tomorrow. I'm in that position. I've been doing good things. I've been playing well. Not just this week but for the previous kind of eight weeks, I feel like my game has been in good shape. Tomorrow is just another round of golf, and I've just got to control me, and if I do that well, then I'm going to be in with a chance."

MacIntyre's march towards the top of the leaderboard was jumpstarted on Saturday with an eagle-3 on the par-4 5th. Connecting from outside 40 feet, the burly left hander was off and running. Three birdies over his next seven holes put the crowd favorite at 15 under before hitting a speed bump in the form of a bogey on the tough par-3 12th.

Back-to-back birdie bids were answered soon after on Nos. 15-16, putting MacIntyre's name clear of all others. Behind him on the golf course, Åberg struggled on the initial portion of his back nine carding bogeys on Nos. 11-12 to fall off the pace.

MacIntyre's lead grew to two in an instant, but his first 3 putt of the day on the last turned into his second bogey of the round as he settled on the 15-under number. Scrambling par saves and late birdies from the blade of Åberg on the par-5 16th and par-3 17th meant the young Swede would sleep on the lead alone for the second straight evening.

While Åberg's name sits atop the leaderboard through 54 holes, it is MacIntyre's which will be chanted with fervor on Sunday. Hoping to right the wrongs of last year's tournament when a birdie on the last was not enough to fend off a charging Rory McIlroy, MacIntyre finds himself in position again with a country full of golf fans behind him.

"I'm delighted," MacIntyre said. "The last is a difficult hole, whether it's flat calm, downwind, into the wind, it's difficult. And when they put the pin up, that top shelf it makes it even harder. Overall I played absolutely brilliantly. Tee-to-green was solid again. Rolled the putter beautifully. Just got to let it happen."

The leader

 1. Ludvig Åberg (-17)

If it felt scratchy from Åberg in Round 3, that's because it was -- at least for his standards. The world No. 4 hit 8 of 13 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation but will still able to extend his margin from one stroke to two. After playing his first 10 holes in a flawless 4-under fashion, Åberg began to take on some water with bogeys on the par-4 11th and the par-3 12th, but unlike his counterparts, he finished like a champion. Three birdies in his final six holes turned turned a two-stroke deficit into a two-stroke lead.

Other contenders

2. Robert MacIntyre (-15)
3. Adam Scott (-14)
T4. Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Sungjae Im, Antoine Rozner (-13)
T8. Rory McIlroy, Erik van Rooyen, Matteo Manassero (-12)

The finishes from much of the chasing pack left plenty to be desired. Theegala tied the lead when he reached 15 under with a birdie on No. 16, but dropped shots on the final two holes pushed him four off Åberg with 18 to play. He is now 5 over on the final two holes this week while both Morikawa and McIlroy made bogey on No. 18 as well on Saturday. Theegala and Morikawa are among the many PGA Tour stars who are without wins this season, while McIlroy aims to become the first player to successfully defend his Scottish Open title.

"Kept hitting good shots. Especially the last few holes," McIlroy said. "Missed, I think I had three 8 footers on 15, 16, 17 for birdie that I didn't convert, and you know, bogey on the last. So the last four holes, I've probably played them the worst that I could, which is unfortunate because I felt like I could have been right up there, sort of at 15 under around the lead, and to give one away at the last is disappointing."

The importance of a fast start

Scoring conditions have been ideal at The Renaissance Club this week, but it is the first third of the golf course in particular where birdies are a must. On Saturday, the first six holes played more than one stroke under par with players like MacIntyre, Theegala and Tommy Fleetwood playing them in a 4-under fashion or better. With Åberg possessing a two-stroke lead, fast starts will be required from the chasing pack on Sunday. Lucky for them, it will be there to be had.

"You get off to a good start, and you sort of try to ride that momentum," McIlroy said. "I didn't get off to quite as fast of a start on the front nine as did I yesterday. But that's sort of what I'm going to need tomorrow. Going to need to be at least 3 under through five to get myself right up there around the lead and from there just try to keep it going."

2024 Scottish Open updated odds and picks

• Ludvig Åberg: 4/7
• Robert MacIntyre: 9/2
• Adam Scott: 12-1
• Collin Morikawa: 12-1
• Rory McIlroy: 14-1
• Sungjae Im: 18-1
• Sahith Theegala: 22-1

Leading by two, Åberg's high floor combined with his firepower should allow him to claim his biggest win to date. I don't hate the price at 4/7, but if there is any interest in an outsider, then McIlroy may be the man. He ranks third in strokes gained tee to green, second in strokes gained off the tee and first in strokes gained around the green on the week. A five-stroke margin is large, but we've seen Rory close in a flurry before, and his statistical profile suggests such a Sunday performance.

Rick Gehman and Patrick McDonald recap Saturday at the Genesis Scottish Open and set you up for Sunday's final round. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

[Jul 13, 2024 at 2:14 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Ludvig leaps into the lead

The young Swede has been scrambling on this back side and a birdie drops on No. 16. That could be enough to give him the solo lead heading into tomorrow with two holes to play as he stands at 16 under and one clear of Robert MacIntyre.

[Jul 13, 2024 at 1:56 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Rough finish for Rory

That is not what the doctor ordered. Missing short birdie chances on Nos. 16-17, McIlroy makes bogey on No. 18 to come in at 12 under. He will be at best three off the pace heading in tomorrow, but that could become four if Sahith Theegala or Ludvig Aberg add birdies coming in.

[Jul 13, 2024 at 1:26 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Bobby bogeys the last

With back-to-back dropped shots from Aberg, Robert MacIntyre had himself a two-stroke lead up until the 18th hole. He needs three putts from roughly 80 feet on the last hole and drops his second shot of the day. He gets in at 15 under thanks to a 7-under 63 and is one clear of Adam Scott, Sahith Theegala and Aberg.

[Jul 13, 2024 at 1:01 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

MacIntyre, Aberg pushing the pace

The Ryder Cup teammates are piling up birdies in bunches. Aberg gets to 4 under on his round with a birdie on No. 10 while MacIntyre reaches 8 under on his round with another on No. 16. The two are both 16 under and now two clear of the field.

[Jul 13, 2024 at 12:38 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Ludvig maintains lead heading into back nine

It is a nice par save from our leader on the long par-3 9th. Missing the green and splashing his second from the pot bunker, Aberg gets up and down to stay at 15 under. He is one clear of Robert MacIntyre and Sahith Theegala and two clear of Rory McIlroy who is in the middle of his second nine.