Rory McIlroy’s reaction sums up feeling after disastrous start at The Open leaves him fighting to make cut

Rory McIlroy’s bid to end his decade-long major drought and recover from a disappointing US Open collapsed after a rough first round at The Open held at Royal Troon.

 

The Northern Irish golfer, who had been hopeful for a strong performance, started solidly, remaining at level par through the first seven holes. However, his round quickly deteriorated. A double bogey on the challenging par-three eighth, known as the Postage Stamp, marked the beginning of his troubles. He then drove out of bounds on the 11th, resulting in another double bogey. McIlroy finished the day with a 78, seven over par, and found himself ten shots behind the clubhouse leader, Justin Thomas.

 

Statistical analysis from Justin Ray, lead data analyst at KPMG Performance Insights, highlights that 87 percent of Open winners since 1960 were within four shots of the lead after the first round. With McIlroy’s current standing, the odds are against him.

 

When asked about his chances of recovery, McIlroy was candid but cautious: “All I need to focus on is tomorrow and try to make the cut. That’s all I can focus on.”

 

The tough weather conditions at Royal Troon contributed to the challenges faced by many players. McIlroy noted the difficulties: “I felt like I did okay for the first part of the round. I was a couple over through nine and thought I could get those shots back. But the back nine was surprisingly tough. The course played much harder than expected with the wind.”

 

McIlroy struggled to adapt to the changing conditions, acknowledging that the unfamiliar wind altered his strategy. “You play your practice rounds with a plan, but new wind conditions present different challenges,” he said. “Misses are punished more this week, whether it’s in fairway bunkers or rough.”

 

McIlroy’s round was marred by two double bogeys, a tough feat given that only two of the last nine Open winners have carded a double bogey during the tournament. His challenges at the Postage Stamp bunker, requiring two attempts to escape, highlighted his difficulties.

 

McIlroy’s disappointing start puts him at risk of missing the cut at The Open for the first time since 2019 at Royal Portrush. This follows his collapse in the US Open, where Bryson DeChambeau claimed the title. DeChambeau himself had a rough start at The Open, carding a 76 despite an eagle on the 16th hole. His front nine included a double bogey on the 612-yard sixth hole, where he struggled with a tricky lie and ended up on the adjacent fairway.

 

Justin Thomas set the clubhouse lead at three under par with a 68, demonstrating a 14-shot improvement from his previous year’s opening round at Hoylake. “I’m very pleased with my game and know things are moving in the right direction,” Thomas commented.

 

Sweden’s Alex Noren, along with American Russell Henley and Ryder Cup teammates Justin Rose and Nicolai Hojgaard, was just one shot off the pace. Rose, who had to qualify through a 36-hole play-off, carded a bogey-free 69, featuring two birdies and 16 pars.

 

Former champion Justin Leonard started the day with a 6:35 am tee time. Leonard, the 1997 winner at Troon, finished with a nine-over-par 80, two shots better than 2004 champion Todd Hamilton.

 

The challenging conditions and surprising performances set the stage for a gripping continuation of The Open.