Rory McIlroy names the rival golfer who he thinks has a ‘great chance’ of winning the Scottish Open this week

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Rory McIlroy heads to the Scottish Open in an interesting time in his career, having not played since this time last month.

The Northern Irishman last took to the course for the US Open at Pinehurst, where he suffered a dramatic final round collapse.

He missed two short putts in the dying stages, allowing LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau to swoop in and clinch victory.

McIlroy was clearly upset by what happened, having left the venue almost immediately after DeChambeau holed the winning put.

But the four-time major winner has had time to reflect on events in North Carolina, with many ‘people within golf’ reaching out to McIlroy after the US Open.

Rory McIlroy makes Robert MacIntyre claim ahead of the Scottish Open

Fortunately, he now restarts his career at an event where he has many happy memories, having won the Scottish Open last year.

McIlroy birdied the final hole to finish one shot clear of Robert MacIntyre, with the former now tipping the latter for success at The Renaissance Club this week.

“With Bob he has had an amazing 12 months,” McIlroy said in his Scottish Open press conference. “We all knew the talent that he has had.

“It would have been great for him to win the Scottish Open last year but he will have plenty more chances. He is playing well so he has another great chance this week.

“To make the Ryder Cup team, to have the week he had in Rome, to win in Canada with his Dad on the bag, it has been a brilliant 12 months for Bob and everyone on tour is delighted for him because he’s such a good lad and he doesn’t forget where he came from.

“I think everyone is really happy to see the success that he has had.”

Will Rory McIlroy and Robert MacIntyre go head to head once more?

MacIntyre should be full of confidence going into the Scottish Open, having won his first PGA Tour title at the Canadian Open last month.

He would, however, have been delighted to have tasted success at The Renaissance Club last time out, having come agonisingly close.

But it wasn’t meant to be, with McIlroy avoiding a play-off with the Scot after hitting a stunning shot onto the 18th green before holing his putt.

The Northern Irishman certainly wasn’t convinced about his final shot, with McIlroy since telling MacIntyre that he thought the putt was going to miss.

Both players will now be eyeing success for very different reasons, with McIlroy wanting to prove his doubters wrong, and MacIntyre wanting revenge on home soil.