Rory McIlroy believes he dealt with the strain of taking part in in The Open on house soil after overcoming a poor driving show to remain in competition at Royal Portrush.
McIlroy was the pre-tournament favorite when The Open was final held in Northern Eire in 2019, the place he quadruple bogeyed his opening gap and struggled to a first-round 79 on his strategy to a shock blended reduce.
The Masters champion was the followers’ favorite as soon as once more for this yr’s contest, his first occasion in his house nation since profitable The Masters and finishing the Grand Slam, the place he blended 5 birdies with 4 bogeys to publish a one-under 70.
McIlroy discovered simply two fairways off the tee on the opening day – the fewest of his Open profession and matching his lowest ever in a significant, however overcame a mid-round wobble to stick with three strokes of the five-way tie for the early lead.
“I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in, but at the same time, you don’t want to let them down,” McIlroy admitted. “There’s that little little bit of added strain.
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The story of Rory McIlroy’s disappointing week at The Open in 2019, the place he missed the reduce after an opening-round 79
“I felt like I handled it very well at present. Actually handled it higher than I did six years in the past. I used to be simply joyful to get off to a great begin and get myself into the match.
“There’s a few guys at four under, but I’m surprised four under is leading. I thought someone might have gone out there and shot six or seven under today. Only three back with 54 holes to go, I’m really happy with where I am.”
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Rory McIlroy spoke about pre-round nerves after taking pictures a one-under-par 70 in his first spherical of the Open Championship at Royal Portrush
How McIlroy loved higher opening spherical in Portrush
McIlroy was three pictures higher after the opening gap than he was six years in the past, regardless of a wayward iron off the tee and a three-putt – together with a miss from inside 4 toes – leading to a bogey.
The left miss off the tee shortly turned a daily theme for McIlroy, who needed to lay up on the par-five second after an errant drive however made a 15-foot birdie after which rolled in from 25 toes for an additional on the fourth.
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Rory McIlroy birdied the par-five second to bounce again from the previous-hole bogey
McIlroy recovered from one other wayward drive into left tough on the seventh by delivering a beautiful wedge from the tough along with his third shot, organising a close-range birdie, seeing him attain the flip in 34.
He began his again 9 with an eight-foot birdie however did not convert from an analogous distance to avoid wasting par on the subsequent, with McIlroy discovering a fairway bunker off the tee on the par-five subsequent and three-putting from the following to card back-to-back bogeys.
Rory McIlroy performed alongside Tommy Fleetwood, who struggled to a two-over 73
McIlroy bought up and down from the again of the inexperienced to scramble a par on the thirteenth however needed to gap from six toes simply to make bogey on the subsequent, having wanted to put up out of a fairway bunker.
The five-time main winner transformed from 12 toes to avoid wasting par on the fifteenth and scrambled a par from off the inexperienced on the par-three subsequent, earlier than discovering a birdie on the seventeenth and going shut on the final to finish the day in crimson figures.
“Overall happy with the start, very solid, considering I think I only hit two or three fairways for the day,” McIlroy advised Sky Sports activities. “I felt like I was chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the day.
“To play these final 4 holes in a single below and shoot below par was nice. I had it going there for the primary 10 holes and as we turned for house, the wind began to select up a bit and the course did begin to get very troublesome in these cross winds.
“I was on the bogey train there for a bit but steadied the ship with a really good par but on 15, then played the last three holes well.”
Rory McIlroy is seeking to win The Open for a second time, having lifted the Claret Jug in 2014
The place can McIlroy enhance to contend?
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley: “I think refine his swing. Rory likes to play on the front foot and play aggressively, he knows this golf course and the strategy will be well thought out because he thinks he’s playing to his strengths.
“His driving shouldn’t be his energy in the meanwhile. It usually is, however at present it wasn’t. However nonetheless one below par, that is a great effort. He is finished properly and he has gone a great distance.”
Former major champion Rich Beem: “I assumed he dealt with every thing superbly.
“He’s going to have to come up with a little better gameplan off the tee going forward for the last 54 holes if he wants to seriously contend. But it was a great start.”
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