McIlroy breaks course record with seven birdies to lead at Scottish Open

Northern Irish golf ace Rory McIlroy has broke the course record with seven birdies in a seven-under 64 to lead after the first round of the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen.

McIlroy, who has not played in the event since 2009, has had mixed success in Europe this season as he won the PGA Championship at Wentworth but then missed the cut at his home Irish Open.

McIlroy, who is recently back from a lads holiday in Ibiza, said that everything was pretty much on, adding that he controlled his ball flight really well which is the key to his playing well in such conditions and on such courses, The BBC reported.

The Northern Irishman said that he has been working the last 10 days on keeping the ball down, hitting easy shots and taking spin off it and he added that he went out there and really trusted what he practised.

McIlroy reportedly took advantage of the 20mph wind and drove the green on the downhill 436-yard par-four 13th.

He also said that he had though anything in the 60s would be a good score so to shoot something better than that is pleasing.

Meanwhile, Swede Kristoffer Broberg and Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez shot 65 as Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey took 66, while Scots Marc Warren and David Drysdale and English duo Luke Donald and Richard Bland were four under, with defending champion Phil Mickelson three under, the report added.