Brooks Koepka Shoots 66 at 2026 Scottish Open After Withdrawal Scare

Brooks Koepka opened the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open with a 4-under 66 on Thursday and sits one shot off the lead at The Renaissance Club. He made seven birdies against three bogeys in his first competitive round in North Berwick, and he did it days after a paperwork mix-up briefly had him convinced he was out of the tournament.

It was a strong, if slightly frustrating, start for the five-time major champion, who is making his first Scottish Open appearance since 2015.

Brooks Koepka‘s Round 1 at the Renaissance Club

Koepka’s 66 left him at 4 under, one back of the four-way lead held by Rory McIlroy, Tom Kim, Patrick Cantlay, and Bernd Wiesberger. Seven birdies is an aggressive, encouraging number for a player who has spent much of 2026 grinding, and he clearly felt he left shots out there.

He missed four putts inside 7 feet, the kind of misses that turn a very low round into merely a good one. Koepka said afterward it could have been a very, very good round, a reminder that on these big, slow fescue greens the short putts are as much a test as anything off the tee.

Why was Brooks Koepka listed as withdrawn from the Scottish Open

The buildup was chaotic. Earlier in the week Koepka was mistakenly listed as a withdrawal, and he did not take it calmly. He said he called his agent, Blake Smith, in a bit of a panic after seeing the withdrawal messages and finding nothing in the PGA Tour app to explain them.

By his own account it was probably two hours of complete panic before the situation was sorted out. A sponsor’s invitation confirmed his place in the field, and he described the whole thing simply: he could not figure it out. Whatever the cause, it is behind him now, and he answered it with one of the better rounds of his summer.

Brooks Koepka betting and Open Championship outlook

Koepka was a longshot in the pre-tournament market, well behind the headliners in a board topped by Scottie Scheffler at +445 and McIlroy at +910. A 66 pulls that number in and, more importantly, points to something the betting world has been waiting on. This is a links tune up before the Open Championship next week at Royal Birkdale, and a major hunter rounding into form on this style of golf is worth a longer look.

The Renaissance Club suits him. It rewards distance and ball striking and forgives a shaky day around the greens, which is a friendly setup for a player whose putter has come and gone this year. If the short putts start dropping, the ceiling is obvious. Keep any Koepka position each-way and modest given his uneven season, but the profile fits, and the timing before a major fits even better.

Before they tee off, build your model. The Rabbit Hole hands you the strokes gained PGA data, and code BSG26 takes 25% off any plan.

Frequently asked questions

When did Brooks Koepka last play the Genesis Scottish Open?

Koepka last teed it up at the Scottish Open in 2015. This week marks his first competitive appearance at The Renaissance Club.

How many majors has Brooks Koepka won?

Koepka has won five major championships, including two U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships. That major pedigree is why a fast Scottish Open start draws attention with the Open Championship one week away.

Where does Koepka stand after Round 1?

He is tied for fifth at 4 under, one shot behind co-leaders McIlroy, Tom Kim, Patrick Cantlay, and Bernd Wiesberger, and level with Min Woo Lee and Kurt Kitayama.

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