The Open: Rory McIlroy turns focus to making major cut after shocking opening round at Royal Troon
Rory McIlroy has 21 top-10 finishes in majors since 2014 PGA Championship success; McIlroy dropped five shots in a four-hole stretch during an opening-round 78 at Royal Troon; Watch The Open live throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf or stream with NOW
By Ali Stafford at Royal Troon
Last Updated: 18/07/24 11:41pm
Rory McIlroy’s hope for major redemption has turned into a battle to just make the cut after he made a nightmare start to The 152nd Open at Royal Troon.
McIlroy came into the week looking to end his decade-long major drought, having squandered a two-shot lead over the closing holes of the US Open last month to finish runner-up, only for the 35-year-old's hopes to suffer a setback after a disappointing first round.
The former world No 1 made just one birdie in wet and breezy conditions on Thursday morning, with McIlroy dropping five shots in a four-hole stretch around the turn and also bogeying two of the final four holes of a seven-over 78.
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"Difficult day," McIlroy conceded. "I felt like I did okay for the first part of the round. Felt like I was in reasonable enough shape being a couple over through nine, thinking that I could maybe get those couple shots back, try to shoot even par or something like that.
"I was actually surprised how difficult I felt the back nine played. I thought we were going to get it a little bit easier than we did. The course was playing tough. The conditions are very difficult in a wind that we haven't seen so far this week.
"You play your practice rounds, you have a strategy that you think is going to help you get around the golf course, but then when you get a wind you haven't played in, it starts to present different options and you start to think about maybe hitting a few clubs that you haven't hit in practice.
"Just one of those days where I just didn't adapt well enough to the conditions. I just think that your misses get punished a lot more this week, whether you miss it in a fairway bunker or even the rough."
What went wrong for McIlroy?
McIlroy - playing alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Max Homa - missed the opening green and failed to get up and down to save par, then made a four-foot birdie at the third before failing to take advantage of either par-five on the front nine.
The Northern Irishman took two attempts out of a greenside bunker on his way to a double-bogey five at the iconic 'Postage Stamp', seeing him turn in 38, with McIlroy starting his back nine with a bogey before firing his tee shot at the par-four next towards the railway track.
He eventually carded a double-bogey to drop to five over and eight behind clubhouse leader Justin Thomas, with McIlroy needing to scramble a par at the next and hole from 10 feet at the 14th to avoid falling further behind.
McIlroy bogeyed the 15th after finishing in a fairway bunker and could only par the par-five next after a wayward second shot, then produced a sensational sand save at the par-three 17th before bogeying the last.
When asked what he needed to do next, McIlroy added: "Just come out and try to play better and be here for the weekend. The conditions look like they're going to be pretty similar again tomorrow.
"As I said, have to do a better job in those conditions, and I need to go out there and play better and try to shoot something under-par and at least be here for the weekend, if not try to put myself up the leaderboard a bit more and feel like I have half a chance."
Reigning US Open Bryson DeChambeau also struggled in the conditions, finding it so tough he could have walked off the course and gone home before eventually salvaging a five-over 76.
"I'm just proud of the way I persevered today," DeChambeau said. "Shoot, man, I could have thrown in the towel after nine and could have been like, 'I'm going home'. It's a difficult test out here. Something I'm not familiar with.
"I never grew up playing it and not to say that that's the reason; I finished eighth at St Andrews [two years ago]. I can do it when it's warm and not windy. But no, I've got a chance tomorrow. I'm excited for the challenge. If I have some putts go in and hit some shots the way I know how to and figure out this equipment stuff, I'll be good."
Who will win The 152nd Open? Watch extended coverage this week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream The Open and more top sport with NOW.
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