A shot dropped at the seventh for Ewen Ferguson, but he's still plodding along nicely at three under.

He is now T-8 with a glut of other players.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

It’s not just a sea of bodies following McIlroy et al. There’s a media scrum, whisked along by nine or ten carts.

As soon as they’re done on the tee box, the mob marches on.

There was always an aura around the Northern Irishman. After that Grand Slam win, they’ve become worshippers.

A trio of pars on the fifth hole. Easy does it.

Connor Syme and Tommy Fleetwood will be drawing a fair chunk of the home support alongside a reigning major champ in JJ Spaun.

They were welcoming one Rory McIlroy, Andrew.

The Northern Irishman taps in for birdie after that brilliant tee shot, with Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele both making par.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

I’m out filming social content near the driving range where Scheffler, Scott and others have plenty of admirers.

Heads whipped round to the grandstand hole though, as a deafening roar boomed across the course.

I wonder who they’re welcoming…

What a way to bounce back from that bogey for Rory McIlroy.

The Masters champion stiffs his tee shot at the sixth to three feet and will surely move back to level par.

World number one Scottie Scheffler has been speaking to the media after carding a three-under 67.

"I feel I could have gotten a little more out of my round," he tells Sky Sports.

"Three under, I wish I could have some of the bogeys back, but I don't feel too bad about that round.

"This golf course in particular, the wind plays a huge part, and tomorrow it's set to change, which will be a challenge too."

On playing in front of a Scottish crowd, he adds: "I was playing with Bob [MacIntyre], who was definitely the crowd favourite, but they did a good job of cheering on all three of us."

Image source, SNS

Rory McIlroy holes a testing eight-foot putt, but that was only for bogey.

Viktor Hovland taps in for a superb birdie, but Xander Schauffele can't match him.

A former winner here of course, but the American three putts from 26ft to make bogey.

There have been plenty of mistakes from this group so far.

Back-to-back birdies for Connor Syme help him find his way under par.

Tommy Fleetwood pars the fourth to remain one under, and it's a par for JJ Spaun too, who is one shot on the right side of even right now.

Image source, SNS

Rory McIlroy's drive at the fifth somehow ended up against a wall to the right of the fairway and has to chip diagonally back into the fairway.

A big effort needed to make par from there.

Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele meanwhile have good looks for birdie.

Make that four birdies in a row as Ewen Ferguson rolls in a long putt to keep his stellar start ticking over nicely.

T-6 now with 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clark.

Ferguson is the only player in the top seven players to still be out on the course.

Flying the home flag well.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Scotland's Calum Hill played nicely this morning to shoot a five-under par 65.

I bumped into him on the course a few minutes ago and questioned his decision to wear a base layer on a sweltering day like this.

He assured me it was very thin and that is was cooler earlier on...

Image source, Getty Images

Rory McIlroy, Victor Hovland and Xander Schauffele all make stress-free pars at the fourth hole.

As you were.

Scotland's Ewen Ferguson is enjoying hinself so far at three under through five.

He's birdied the third, fourth, and fifth to shoot up the leaderboard.

Plenty of the home faithful will be following his round intently.

It's all down to those sunglasses surely.

Image source, SNS

A mixed back so far in this group.

Big-hitting Aldrich Potgieter is struggling, with Justin Rose currently over par too. The Englishman just missed a putt to go back to level par.

Ryan Fox is doing better though, and almost sinks a putt to go to two under.

Viktor Hovland has the longest eagle putt, up over a pretty large crease in the green, and it stops a good 10 feet short. His birdie putt drifts past and he settles for a three-putt par.

Easy does it for Xander Schauffele who makes an eagle.

Rory McIlroy tidies up for a birdie and moves back to level par.

Right enough, Xander Schauffele takes advantage of a well-placed tee shot and gives himself a look at eagle.

As does Rory McIlroy. As does Viktor Hovland.

It's almost annoying how easy they can make it look at times.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Tommy Fleetwood’s birdie putt looks good for a long way, but just drifts wide of the hole and he has to settle for par.

Connor Syme’s par putt was one of those horrible distances and he can’t make it.

Both he and JJ Spaun walk to the third having made bogey.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Trouble for US Open champion JJ Spaun at the second hole as his approach shot missed the green and finds a nasty little bunker.

He does well to get onto the putting surface but has a long par putt to come.

Scotland’s Connor Syme is in a slightly nicer bunker and sticks his shot to three feet.

Tommy Fleetwood is pin high, with a birdie putt to come…

A stripe show off the tee from this trio.

They could all have a look at eagle is they execute their second shots here.