Jake Knapp is loving links golf so much he’d like to extend his stay another week, and he took a step toward that Thursday with a 6-under 64 that put him in a four-way share of the lead after the opening round of the Scottish Open.

The blustery conditions at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick were not enough to keep more than half of the 156-man field at par or better, although Rory McIlroy had to birdie his last three holes — and make a 25-foot bogey putt on the 15th hole — for a 68.

Sepp Straka had eight birdies in his round of 64, also joined by Nico Echavarria and Victor Perez atop the leaderboard alongside Knapp. Four other players were one shot behind, while Scottie Scheffler had to settle for a 67 and was three back.

Knapp is among those who have not qualified for the British Open next week at Royal Portrush. The Open is offering spots to the leading three players at The Renaissance Club who are not already in the field.

His current itinerary is to leave Monday for Boston and then to home in California.

“As of right now,” he said. “Hopefully, I can change that.”

Perez isn’t set for Portrush, either. He birdied three of his last four holes, finishing with a birdie putt from 25 feet on the 18th hole that played into the wind.

Scheffler, who missed the Scottish Open last year to spend more time at home with his newborn son, played in the morning and started with a 30-foot eagle putt. He gave himself plenty of chances the rest of the way, but failed to hole enough birdie putts inside 10 feet.

There were a few mistakes, but otherwise very little stress.

“I feel like I could have gotten a little bit more out of my round,” Scheffler said. “I felt like I did some good things that I didn’t quite get rewarded for after my start. But 3 under, I wish I could have had a couple of bogeys back, but overall not too bad.”

McIlroy figured he was about 80% of where he wanted to be ahead of his return home to Northern Ireland next week. He struggled with the wind, particularly off the tee, hitting only four of 13 fairways.

One tee shot landed just short of a wall on No. 5, forcing him to play out sideways to the fairway. Another found a bunker on the 15th. McIlroy tried 9-iron to clear a steep lip and failed, the ball roll back into a depression caused by the swing. He got the next one out, hit wedge that rolled over the back of the green and holed a 25-foot bogey putt to limit the damage.

He birdied the last three holes. Also at 68 was Xander Schauffele, the defending British Open champion, who played alongside him.

LPGA Tour

Leona Maguire made a hole-in-one at the Evian Championship on the way to a 6-under 65 in the first round and a five-way share of the lead at Evian-Les-Bains, France.

Having started on the back nine at the fourth major of the year, Maguire aced the par-3 second hole — her 11th — at Evian Resort Golf Club, holing her tee shot from 164 yards.

The Irishwoman was joined on 65 by American duo of Andrea Lee and Jennifer Kupcho as well as Australians Grace Kim and Gabriela Ruffels.

Australian Minjee Lee, who won the Women’s PGA Championship last month for her third major title, was in sixth place after a 66.

Top-ranked Nelly Korda was a stroke behind her in a tie for seventh. Korda is seeking her first win of the season and third major title.

English golfer Charley Hull withdrew from the first round after collapsing to the ground twice because of a virus, organizers said.

French organizers said Hull felt unwell on the fourth tee and received medical attention after collapsing. She then got up and hit her tee shot before going to the ground again. Organizers said Hull underwent medical checks that showed she had a virus but was otherwise OK.

Also

Chan Kim shot a 9-under 61 to take the first-round lead in the ISCO Championship, the opposite-field PGA Tour event also sanctioned by the European tour.

Kim holed out from 123 yards for eagle on the par-4 fourth hole and had seven birdies. He had a four-stroke lead over Callum Shinkwin of England, Thomas Rosenmueller of Germany and American Peter Malnati at Louisville, Ky.