The Open: Rory McIlroy handles home pressure and wayward driving to stay in major hunt on home soil at Royal Portrush | Golf News
Rory McILroy thinks he has manipulated the pressure to play outdoors after overcoming a bad driving screen to stay in the running at Royal Portrush.
McILroy was the favorite of the pre-tournament during the last openness of the open in Northern Ireland in 2019, where he quadruple Bogey his opening hole and fought around 79 in the first round on the way to a mixed shock cup.
The Masters champion was again the favorite of fans for this year’s competition, his first event in his country of origin since he won the Masters and finished the Grand Chelem, where he mixed five Birdies with four Bogeys to display a 70 under 70.
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Rory McILroy made a three -stroke bogey on the first hole at a hectic start of his candidacy for a sixth major victory
McILroy found only two Fairways of the T-shirt on opening day-the least in his open career and corresponding to his lowest of all time in major, but overcome a borderer in half-edge to stay with three tie from five for the first lead.
“I feel the support of an entire country there, which is a wonderful position to be, but at the same time, you don’t want to drop them,” admitted Mcilroy. “There is this additional pressure.
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The story of the disappointing week from Rory McILroy to open in 2019, where he missed the cup after a first round 79
“I felt like I was doing well today. I certainly treated it better than six years ago. I was just happy to take a good start and get into the tournament.
“There are a few guys in Four Under, but I am surprised that Four Under was in mind. I thought someone could go there and fired six or seven under today. Only three back with 54 holes to travel, I’m really happy with the place where I am.”
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Rory McILroy spoke of the preliminary nerves after turning a 70 under a first round in his first round of the championship open to Royal Portrush
How McILroy appreciated a better opening in Portrush
McILroy was better three shots after the opening hole than six years ago, despite a capricious iron of the T -shirt and a three shots – including a Miss of four feet inside – resulting in a bogy.
The left round of the TEE quickly became a regular theme for McILroy, who had to go to bed at the second by five after a wandering trip but made a 15 -foot step then rolled 25 feet for another in the fourth.
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Rory McILroy a Birda Le Par-Cint Seconds to bounce back from the previous Bogey
McILroy recovered from another capricious walk on the left to the left in the seventh by delivering a magnificent corner of the harsh with his third blow, installing a birdie near the litter, seeing him reach the turn in 34.
He started his new back with an eight-foot step, but failed to convert a similar distance to save by the next one, with McILroy finding a fairway bunker out of the tee at the following part and three strokes of the following bogys of the card.
Rory McILroy played alongside Tommy Fleetwood, who fought for one two out of 73
McILroy reminds himself from top to bottom of the back of the green to scramble a peer in the 13th, but had to make a six -foot hole just to make Bogey in the next, needing to lie down with a fairway bunker.
The five-year-old fifteenth winner converted 12 feet to save the peer in the 15th and scrambled a peer from the Green at the next one, before finding a birdie in the 17th and getting closer to the last to end the day with red figures.
“Overall, satisfied with the start, very solid, since I think I only hit two or three fairways for the day,” McILroy told Sky Sports. “I felt like I was cutting out rough bunkers or out of the fairway almost all day.
“To play these last four holes in one money and pull under by was great. I made it go there for the first 10 holes and while we turned home, the wind started to take a little and the route began to become very difficult in these transversal winds.
“I was on the Bogey train there a little but I standed the ship with a very good peer but out of 15,, Then played the last three holes well. “”
Rory McILroy is trying to win the open for the second time, after raising the jug in 2014
Where can McILroy improve to face?
Former captain of the Ryder Cup Paul McGinley: “I think refineing your swing. Rory likes to play on the foot before and play aggressively, he knows this golf course and the strategy will be well thought out because he thinks he plays with his strength.
“His conduct is not his strength at the moment. This is normally the case, but today it was not. But always a under the peer, it is a good effort. He did well and he made a long way.”
Former major champion Rich Beem: “I thought he was managing everything beautifully.
“He will have to offer a little better the game plan out of the tee in the future for the last 54 holes if he wants to seriously face. But it was an excellent start.”
Who will win the open? Look at the last male major of the year throughout the week live on Sky Sports. The live coverage continues Friday from 6:30 am on Sky Sports Golf. Distribute open and higher sport without a contract.
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