McIlroy makes amends in Portrush homecoming with first-round 70 at British Open

San Francisco Chronicle​

2 days ago

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Rory McIlroy experienced that sinking feeling again on the first hole at Royal Portrush.
OK, the returning hometown hero hadn't hit his drive out-of-bounds this time. No spectator's phone had been smashed. He hadn't made a quadruple bogey, either. So, for sure, this wasn't as bad as 2019.
But McIlroy had just missed a par putt from 3 feet, eliciting groans from the spectators around the green who had flocked to the Dunluce Links on Thursday to welcome back their favorite son.
Was it happening again?
Not quite.
Six years after opening with a 79 and missing the cut when the British Open returned to this corner of his native Northern Ireland, McIlroy made partial amends with a 1-under 70 in his first round that at least hasn't played him out of the tournament.
'I felt like I dealt with it really well today,' McIlroy said. 'Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago.'
Starting with an opening shot that he pulled into wispy rough, McIlroy struggled off the tee throughout a turbulent round played in better-than-forecast conditions and to a backdrop of Rory mania.
He hit just two fairways — on Nos. 8 and 9 — all day, losing his cool at No. 17 after another drive left into deep rough.
'It was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the time,' McIlroy said. 'So to shoot under par was a good effort.'
Yet the locals never stopped willing him on and the cries of 'Come on, Rory' followed him around Portrush, even during a run of three bogeys in four holes from No. 11 when McIlroy's round was threatening to unravel as the wind picked up.
From being 3-under par after 10 holes, McIlroy was at even par as he faced a tough second shot at the 17th. He somehow hit it to 12 feet and holed the birdie putt.
There were throaty roars from the grandstand around No. 18 as he walked to the green for a 45-foot birdie putt that slipped by the hole. He tapped in, raised his putter and thanked his fans. They'll be back in droves on Friday morning, no doubt.
'I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in,' he said, 'but at the same time, you don't want to let them down. So there's that little bit of added pressure.'
Especially on the first tee, which McIlroy walked onto in 2019 not quite realizing the emotions he'd soon feel playing an Open on Northern Irish turf for the first time. He handled it badly and the wind that swept in off the North Atlantic coast wound up blowing him out of the tournament.
'This time I had a better idea of what was going to be coming my way,' he said.
In 2019, McIlroy started his second round 13 strokes off the lead and a charging 65 on Friday wasn't enough to make the weekend.
Six years later — and now in the exclusive career Grand Slam club — he is three shots back and very much in the mix for a second claret jug.
McIlroy and his legion of fans will definitely take that.
'I'm surprised 4 under is leading,' he said. "I thought someone might have gone out there and shot 6 or 7 (under) today.
'Only three back with 54 holes to go. I'm really happy with where I am.'
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