McIlroy's round included an eagle-three at the 13th

Rory McIlroy is four off the pace at the Scottish Open after firing an opening three-under-par 68.

McIlroy is four behind Richard Green who leads Graeme Storm, Martin Laird and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Ireland's Paul McGinley by one stroke.

Darren Clarke didn't drop any shots in his 69 while holder Graeme McDowell and Gareth Maybin both fired 70s.

Michael Hoey shot a disappointing 73, Shane Lowry fired a steady 69 while Damien McGrane carded a 72.

Gary Murphy matched McGrane's 72 while Peter Lawrie shot a two-over-par opening round.

After starting at the 10th, McIlroy moved to two under after an eagle-three at the 13th and while he bogeyed the first hole, he also managed birdies at the third and sixth.

McIlroy is getting into the Scottish spirit this week by wearing tartan trousers throughout this week's tournament.

The Northern Irish youngster's playing partner Ian Poulter also opted for the tartan look on Thursday.

"Hopefully, I outdid him on the trousers and I managed to outscore him by one too," said McIlroy.

It could have been a couple better but 68 is not a bad round Rory McIlroy

"It was just a fun thing I ran on my website to see what my fans would like to see me in.

"Because it's the Scottish Open, no better thing to wear than tartan."

McIlroy added that there had been "nothing dramatic or spectacular" in his round but he was reasonably content with his score.

"It could have been a couple better but 68 is not a bad round.

"I'm still getting back into it as I took a complete week off last week.

"There were a few swings I felt a bit uncomfortable with but for the most part, it was pretty good."

Clarke picked up birdies and the fourth and 13th and he produced a great up-and-down from a bunker at the short 17th to help keep a bogey off his card.

McDowell played the back nine first as his birdie at the 14th was cancelled out by a dropped shot at the 18th where he hit the lip of a bunker after finding sand off the tee.

He moved to two under after he birdied two and three but further dropped shots followed at the fifth and seventh before he birdied his penultimate hole.

Maybin's round included three birdies and two bogeys.

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