GULLANE, Scotland — Nicely, this could be becoming, wouldn’t it?

A day earlier than Rory McIlroy returns to Royal Liverpool because the presumptive Open Championship favourite, he’ll enter Sunday on the Scottish Open because the 54-hole chief. For what feels just like the umpteenth time this season (and what our information inform us is definitely the third time), he’ll maintain the lead heading into the ultimate spherical of an occasion, a victory firmly throughout the realm of chance — and the following Open Championship hype practice following not far behind.

After all, it could be solely becoming for McIlroy to land his first win of the PGA Tour season right here on the Scottish. He has performed a few of the finest golf of anybody alive over the past month and has a sequence of heartbreaks and no wins to indicate for it.

His sport is rounding again into type and, he says, it’s simpler for him to “discover it” now than at any level in latest reminiscence. He additionally hasn’t gained since a victory in Dubai in January, which marks a stunning chilly streak for a golfer of McIlroy’s skill and monitor report.

It will even be becoming for him to bag that first win of the season hours earlier than he’ll face the full burden of expectation in Hoylake. He’s already the presumptive betting favourite heading into the week — the product of each that latest monitor report and his first Open win in 2014 additionally coming at Royal Liverpool.

McIlroy will already be probably the most talked-about identify on-site within the wake of [gestures vaguely at the state of professional golf]. Now it’s totally potential he’ll do these issues whereas additionally having claimed his newest victory lower than a day earlier than his arrival. Contemplating the way in which his final 18 months (and, to some extent, 9 years) have gone, that a lot wouldn’t be stunning.

Damned for those who do, damned for those who don’t.

It’s simply as doubtless that McIlroy (-13) gained’t win on Sunday. He leads by only one heading into the ultimate spherical on the Renaissance Membership, and the leaderboard behind him is stacked. Tom Kim is one again. Tommy Fleetwood is 2 again. Shane Lowry is three again. Max Homa is 4 again.

The excellent news, for those who’re Rory, is that issues are alleged to get onerous tomorrow. Winds upward of 40 mph are within the forecast, together with regular rain. For the second consecutive day, the DP World Tour has moved up tee instances as a way to accommodate the climate. However that’s in regards to the finish of the excellent news for those who’re Rory. Is it potential the factor you need most can be the worst factor for you?

“Once more, I can’t even predict what an excellent rating goes to be as a result of we haven’t seen the circumstances but,” he stated. “However I’d say something within the pink numbers tomorrow goes to be a hell of a rating.”

There’s an actual probability that Rory is preventing the sector on the Scottish Open, however on Saturday night time in Gullane, it positive looks like he’s preventing the inevitable.

“I bear in mind my first Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in 2005,” he stated Saturday. “Eighteen years is just too lengthy for me to choose up a trophy.”

James Colgan

Golf.com Editor

James Colgan is a information and options editor at GOLF, writing tales for the web site and journal. He manages the Scorching Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and makes use of his on-camera expertise throughout the model’s platforms. Previous to becoming a member of GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse College, throughout which period he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Lengthy Island, the place he’s from. He may be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.