The Open: Rory McIlroy finishes with a flourish after miserable start
Last Updated: 21/07/17 6:24am
Rory McIlroy produced a round of two halves to keep himself in contention after the first round of The Open at Royal Birkdale.
The Northern Irishman went into the tournament on a poor run of form after missing the cut in three of his last four events, and he looked set for another miserable afternoon when he bogeyed five of the first six holes.
However, the 2014 Open champion turned his day around on the back nine with four birdies to card a one-over 71 which left him only six shots off the early pace-setters, and he declared himself "very proud" following the round.
McIlroy's problems started with his opening tee shot when he drove into the rough down the left and he also found trouble around the green before salvaging a bogey by holing a putt from the edge of the green.
The world No 4 trickled a par-putt past the hole at the third and then dropped another shot after finding a greenside bunker at the fourth.
Two more fives followed at the par-four fifth and sixth, but he managed to limit the damage on the front nine with pars at the seventh - thanks to a delicate bunker shot - and the eighth - after holing a 15-foot putt.
McIlroy, therefore, turned in five-over 39, but he started to claw his way back with a birdie on the par-four 11th, after an excellent second shot to five feet, before conjuring up a strong finish.
The 28-year-old posted his second birdie at the 15th after just missing out on an eagle and it was a similar story on the 17th following a fine second shot from the left rough.
Another excellent approach shot to the centre of the 18th green and a confident 12-foot birdie putt then completed the turnaround for McIlroy as he came home in four-under 32.
"[I'm] Very proud of myself," he told Sky Sports after signing his card. "I didn't know where I was after six holes and credit to [caddie] JP [Fitzgerald] out there. He tried to keep me as positive as I possibly could be.
"Sometimes you just need to think about what's going on out on the golf course and try to figure it out while you are out there. And I feel like I did today.
"I've been working on a few things on the range and it didn't quite translate out there on the golf course. Then from the seventh hole, more than anything, I just needed to trust what I was doing and just have 100 per cent trust in myself and not be in two minds about what I was doing, which was what I did for the first six holes.
"When I trust myself and I back myself I am able to do what I did the last 12 holes."
McIlroy admitted the turning point to his round came at the eighth when he managed to scramble a par, following a poor drive, to stop the rot.
"It was huge," he said. "I hit a wayward tee shot, but getting up and down from about 95 yards to save par was big, especially on the eighth hole which was probably one of the easiest holes on the course today with the way the wind was.
"That was big for momentum and sort of kept me going and as positive as I could be at that point I guess."
The weather forecast for Friday is not great with 35mph winds a possibility, but McIlroy, who is due to tee off at 9.47am in the second round, will be happy to encounter tough conditions.
"It helps big time," he said. "I needed that back nine. I still feel like I am well in this golf tournament especially with the weather that's coming tomorrow.
"I don't think the day's going to be good at all but we might get the better of it maybe. If I can go out there tomorrow and try to keep these good feelings that I have, I feel like I am still right in this golf tournament."
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