Ludvig Aberg with another 64 leads the Scottish Open

NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Ludvig Aberg has won on the European Tour and the PGA Tour in the year since leaving college, and another 6-under 64 at the Scottish Open on Friday put him in position to win a tournament sanctioned by both . trips.

Aberg kept a clean sheet on a stunning day of sunshine along the Firth of Forth, collecting four birdies in an eight-hole stretch around the turn and making it look easy along the way.

He was at 12-under 128 and had a one-shot lead over France’s Antoine Rozner, who also had a 64 in a strong bid to stay in Scotland for another week. The top three players earn spots at the British Open, and Rozner is well ahead of the pack.

Also in the mix was Rory McIlroy, who returned from a three-week layoff to digest everything that went wrong late in the final round of the US Open.

His golf at The Renaissance Club makes it look like he’s ready to step up. McIlroy had a 66 and for the next day he felt he should have had a few more birdies on his chances within 10 feet.

“I’m probably sitting here feeling like I should be close to Ludvig’s score, if not a little better after the last couple of days. But I’m still in a good position,” McIlroy said. “It’s another weekend where I’m right in the mix of a golf tournament and it’s a nice position to be in after the last three weeks I’ve had.”

Aberg also missed a few chances. The Swedish star was rarely away.

“I felt like we had a really good game plan and executed the shots,” he said. “We try not to force anything. We try to have a lot of acceptance when we play and make sure we put good swings and give ourselves a lot of chances. I felt like we did really well.”

Sungjae Im (67) and Matteo Manassero (63) were two shots back at 130, while McIlroy was in the big group at 9-under 131, which included two-time major champion Collin Morikawa (66) and Sahith Theegala (65).

Canadians Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes were part of a group four shots off the pace. Hughes, of Dundas, Ont., shot a second consecutive round of 4-under 66 on Friday, while Conners, of Listowel, Ont., followed a 65 with a 67 on Thursday.

Justin Thomas hit a tee shot out of play on no. 8, the 17th hole, for a double bogey. He had a 72 and fell six shots behind. Also six back was PGA Champion Xander Schauffele, who felt much better about it. He shot 65 and made his 51st consecutive PGA Tour cut.

“I was thinking about it,” Schauffele said of his snapped streak. He was two under the cut until he made five birdies over the final 11 holes.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, BC (65) was also six back. Nick Taylor, also of Abbotsford, fell down the leaderboard after a round of 71. He was 4 under at the start of the weekend after opening strong with a 65.

Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., shot 68 Friday to improve to 1 under, but was two shots behind the cut.

Morikawa was so close to the edge of a pot bunker on the fifth hole that he felt his best chance was to flip a wedge and play it left-handed over the pot bunker to a tight pin. He pulled it off, the shot going about 10 feet. But he missed the putt for one of two bogeys on the day.

Then again, Morikawa had some practice. He recently ordered a left-handed iron that he likes to swing for about five minutes a day, just to work other muscles.

The 8-under group included Adam Scott, who hit driver from the tight green on the par-5 10th green to set up one of his seven birdies in a round of 65.

Scott wasn’t sure how far he had left to the green, only that the breeze was in his face and a 3-wood could have put him in a tough spot. It was just under 300 yards and was flawless.

“I figured I might as well go,” Scott said. “Luck favored me on this one and made me blush. I had a nice flight. Looks good. It’s that swing that brings you back tomorrow.”

Jordan Spieth will not return on Saturday. He opened with a 71 and tried to get back inside the cut until a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 15th hole hit the lip and bogeyed the next. He shot 68 and missed by two shots.

Hideki Matsuyama and Rickie Fowler were also absent.

McIlroy now has six consecutive rounds of 68 or better at The Renaissance Club as he tries to win back-to-back tournaments for the third time in his career. He has never successfully defended on the same course.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Doug Ferguson, Associated Press