Home favourite Rory McIlroy rewards fans with strong start at Royal Portrush
Making it look easy.
Rory almost holes out for an eagle. pic.twitter.com/GXGqoxB6vU
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025
But with galleries 10-deep in places craning their necks to see their hero from an hour down the road in Holywood, McIlroy kicked into gear, holing from 15 feet at the par-five second and a 27-footer up the slope for birdie at the driveable par-four fifth.
After leaving another birdie attempt inches short at the next, he made life easier for himself at the 607-yard seventh. Having found rough on both sides of the fairway, he hit a brilliant approach to three feet to pick up another shot.
A seven-foot birdie opportunity glided by the hole at the eighth, where he managed to find his first fairway, and he two-putted from 33 feet to turn in 34.
That put him within touching distance of Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick, who carded the lowest opening round of his major career with a four-under 67. He was in the clubhouse alongside world number 354 Jacob Skov Olesen and China's Li Haotong, with South Africa's Chris Bezuidenhout and American Lucas Glover still out on the course.
Fitzpatrick, a former US Open champion, continued his upward trend following back-to-back top-10 finishes in his last two events after an otherwise disappointing season, despite a joint-eighth place at May's US PGA.
The Sheffield golfer got off to a flying start with a 22-foot eagle putt at the second hole, but the highlight was a slam-dunk chip for birdie from the steep bank on the treacherous Calamity Corner par-three 16th.
Calamity Corner class. Matt Fitzpatrick makes birdie to tie the lead.
Listen in on The Open Radio. https://t.co/5ezloDplEL pic.twitter.com/79vfrabD7q
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025
'I felt like The Players was the lowest I've felt in my career,' Fitzpatrick, bidding to become the first English winner of The Open since Nick Faldo in 1992, said of missing the cut at Sawgrass in March.
'Statistically it could be the worst run that I've played as well. I just didn't feel good or know where it was going.
'Today I just felt like I did drove it well, approach play was good and chipped and putted well. It was just an all-around good day.'
Olesen, a Danish left-hander who won the Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin in Ireland last summer, only turned professional in November after earning his DP World Tour card.
That meant the 26-year-old had to sacrifice his amateur exemptions for this year's Masters and US Open, so this was only his second appearance at one of golf's premier events after his debut at Troon 12 months ago.
But he had no regrets about his decision, having come through qualifying a fortnight ago.
Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen only turned professional in November (Peter Byrne/PA).
'I think it would have been a different decision if I was 19 at the time, but getting out on tour has always been a dream of mine,' he said.
'I had already made the decision before even going to second stage of Q-school that, if I got through, it would be a no-brainer to turn pro.'
World number one Scottie Scheffler missed a birdie putt at the last which would have given him a share of the lead, but his 68 was the lowest score by a player who hit three or fewer fairways in The Open for last 25 years.
'When it's raining sideways it's actually, believe it or not, not that easy to get the ball in the fairway. Thank you guys all for pointing that out,' said the reigning US PGA champion.
Asked whether there was a shot he was really pleased with, he replied: 'No.'
Scottie Scheffler shot a 68 (Mike Egerton/PA).
Scheffler's playing partner and popular 2019 champion Shane Lowry shot one under and the Irishman said: 'I'm happy. I've fought with this round of golf in my head for a few weeks now. I knew it wasn't going to be easy.
'I felt like I managed to handle myself very well. The crowds were amazing and I tried to use that as motivation.'
Defending champion Xander Schauffele said his level-par 71 'wasn't a very exciting round', while 55-year-old Phil Mickelson carded his best Open round since 2018 to sit one under, holing a bunker shot for par at the third, having left his first attempt in the sand.
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Belfast Telegraph
3 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Rory McIlroy turns Portrush electric with stunning start at The Open as Scottie Scheffler is reeled in at the top
7 minutes ago 33 That's how many strokes it's taken Rory McIlroy to play the front nine as he two-putts for his par and turns at -6, four back. Needs to get something going on the back nine. Jordan Smith took 37 for his outward nine, he's back at -2. 9 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Big bird for Bob? The Scotsman is on the par five seventh in two - and he's inside seven feet for eagle. roll that and he catapults his way to -7 alongside his national champion Chris Gotterup. Edit: It's in! Robert MacIntyre is just three back. 9 minutes ago Another long putt Rory tried to use the slope behind the ninth green to bring the ball back down to the hole, chopping it out of the rough and onto the fringe, but it doesn't come back as he'd like and he's left with 35 feet down the hill for the birdie. The hot start has very much cooled down now. 11 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Double eagle for Xander No, dear Americans, I don't mean an albatross. Because that's called an albatross. I mean that Xander has two eagles today! He did it at the par five seventh and he's added another at the par five 12th to hit four-under for the day and -6 overall. The Open on Twitter / X It's called moving day for a Schauffele moves up to 5th with his second eagle of the day. The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025 External contentWhen displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties. 14 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Shane Lowry (+3) on a Saturday 74: 'I should have enjoyed it more' The 2019 champ was 11 shots worse off today than R3 six years ago, when he hit his course record 63. However, he explained afterwards that he's fallen victim to a virus that's rampaged through his house. Add that to last night's two-shot penalty and it's been a rough 24-hours. He said:"I didn't enjoy today as much as I would have liked. Saturday at The Open in your home country, I should enjoy it a lot more than I did, just because of how I felt. Hopefully I get out tomorrow morning and try and enjoy it as best I can, try to shoot the best score I can, and then have a couple weeks off before the playoffs. For me, my big mindset for the next few months is about the Ryder Cup and trying to win that. That's where all my work is going to go towards over the next while." On the two-shot penalty: "I'm not too keen to talk on it too much. I think we said enough about it last night. Quite supportive, I would say, from the other players. They all feel bad for me that two shots is a lot to give up. Yeah, I don't really have much else to say actually." On the afternoon outlook:"There's a score out there. Tough pins, but there's a score. You can see there's a few good scores. You see Rory is off to a hot start. This golf course isn't playing easier than it is today. Firm fairways, the greens are receptive." 16 minutes ago Adam McKendry "You're my hero!" Some of the cries from the fans out here are hilarious as Rory looks tentatively after his drive on the par-four ninth, but the claps further down the fairway suggest that he's okay - although once he gets there he discovers the lie is a little choppy. It's not going to be an easy birdie here, the pin is tucked into the back right of this green, but he's in a good position to attack if he wants to try. 20 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Scheffler not making ground At risk of jinxing this (from a Rory perspective), Scheffler is a long way away for birdie on the fourth. Providing he doesn't railroad that into the cup, McIlroy will have made up three shots on the overnight leader across the opening four holes as Scheffler starts with level pars. Fitzpatrick is a little closer but again it's only an outside chance to make it to -11. Edit: Correct. Pars for both. Very impressive I don't want to keep harping on about the crowds but the people following Rory are about ten deep around the eighth green. The pull he has us simply unparalleled, especially on home soil. His putts aren't bad either as he gives the birdie attempt on the eighth from 40-feet a chance, just missing low, and then cleans up for the par to stay at -6. He could really do with a birdie soon, though. The longer he keeps parring, the more difficult it will be to put a red number on the card again. 28 minutes ago There she blows The wind, I mean. Rory teed off in benign conditions but up on the par-four eighth fairway, which he has found the middle of with a fine tee shot, it's starting to get quite strong, it must be said. That might be a factor in the late afternoon scores. It wasn't a factor on his approach, though. Not a great swing and he's left himself 40 feet for birdie. 32 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Knee-knocker for Scottie His approach to the par three third is off the back and he opts to putt back onto the green, but it's too heavy and rolls the best part of 10 feet past. After a three-putt at two, that'll cause more than a few nerves for par. It hasn't exactly been a rock solid start with the flat-stick, considering he raced his birdie attempt past on one, as well. In the side door. If that had slipped out, it would certainly have livened things up. Stays -10 alongside Fitzpatrick, who taps in for par. 35 minutes ago Adam McKendry "F**k" It's very loud and fortunately it's from the crowd and not from Rory McIlroy, which draws a few laughs. There are none from McIlroy, though. His birdie putt on the seventh slides inches wide on the low side and the putter slams against his leg in frustration. He knows that's a big chance gone and it does feel like parring both the fifth and seventh has killed his momentum. 35 minutes ago Gareth Hanna All rise Moves are being made. Haotog Li gets a two at the second to climb to within one of the lead. Up to -6 are playing partners Tony Finau and Chris Gotterup after they both birdied the driveable par four fifth. Further on in the course, Justin Rose birdied five of six holes from 2-7 but his progress was stunted by bogeys either side. He's at -5 on the ninth. 38 minutes ago Heavy metal After a stunning drive, Rory McIlroy has made a bit of mess of the seventh as he left his second shot 24 yards short and has been very heavy on the chip shot, running it a good 20 feet past. Still a chance for a birdie but not the tap-in he would have been expecting. 44 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Par five battle While Rory booms one down the middle on seven, Scheffler is on the green in two back at the second. He has over 50 feet to the pin, so he's only looking at the remotest chance of eagle, but it looks like the world number one is going to -11 and maybe even three clear. Ominous. Eagle for Fitzy! Errrr... scratch that! Just as Fitzpatrick short-sides himself into two and looks like it'll be an impressive up-and-down just for birdie, he's only gone and canned it for eagle! Bounce-back big bird and the Englishman goes to -10. Game on. And Scheffler three-putts And Scheffler three-rolls! What a swing. Now it's all tied at the top at 10 under. And it means, comparing their opening two holes, Rory has officially got one of the seven back on the overnight leader. 47 minutes ago Recoil on Rory That actually look like it could have hurt as Rory McIlroy absolutely unloads into his drive on the par-five seventh and the club snaps back on his shoulder - he has corked one 370-yards down there, to the extent that from where I'm standing I can't actually see it. All we know is it is on the fairway and he will absolutely be going for this in two. I don't want to speak too soon but an eagle would lift the metaphorical roof off this place and then some. 53 minutes ago No dramas Brilliant lag putt from Rory and that's a safe par on the sixth. Now he will set his sights on picking up at least one shot on the downwind, very gettable par-five seventh. Jordan Smith, meanwhile, has seemingly gotten stuck in the Shane Lowry mould of just not being able to get anything going. He bogeyed the second and now just dropped another at the sixth, so he's back to -1. 57 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Scare for Scottie The leader's birdie attempt races five foot past on the first. There's golf left in that, yet. Makes it. As if... as if he wouldn't. Stays -10. And that means he stretches his lead to two as his playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick starts with a three-putt to drop alongside Haotong Li to -8 as the only players within four. 58 minutes ago "Ah, sit" Rory immediately doesn't like his tee shot on the par-three sixth either as he tries to power it through the wind towards this back right pin position, but it holds left and releases to the back centre instead, leaving him 47-feet for birdie. The crowd again try to will him on after that swing but it's another one he's not happy with. Par here wouldn't be a terrible outcome, though. Today 02:41 PM Adam McKendry To his knees The putt doesn't drop for McIlroy and he is gutted it doesn't. It's a dramatic right to lefter down the slope for the birdie on five and he thinks he has it as it gets closer to the hole... but it dives left one more time right at the end and misses low. Stays -6. Today 02:41 PM Gareth Hanna New leaders in the clubhouse! Wyndham Clark pars the last to get in at -5, and he's soon joined by Dustin Johnson! Remember him? The man who missed the cut in all of the year's first three majors has matched Clark's impressive five-under 66. Live Blog Software
South Wales Guardian
3 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Rory McIlroy makes strong start on day three to climb The Open leaderboard
The Northern Irishman, from an hour down the road at Holyrood, promised he would be 'firing over the weekend' after making the cut on three under – which was more than he managed six years ago on his home Open here. He was true to his word with a brilliant 36-foot curling putt at the first, made possible by hitting the opening fairway for the first time this week, and his longest putt of the week produced a determined but understated clenched fist celebration. Rory's in red. He's away with a birdie on the 1st. — The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025 The Masters champion has the power to reach the 575-yard second into the wind in two and duly did so with an approach to 27ft from the right rough. He could not hole his eagle attempt but settled for a birdie, with a brilliant approach to seven feet at the par-four fourth gaining him another shot to get within four of 10-under leader Scheffler, who had still to take to the course alongside England's Matt Fitzpatrick. Up ahead of him, Russell Henley was putting together a decent round with five birdies and an eagle, with only one bogey, through 12 holes to also get to six under. Magic on 13. It's a hole-in-one for John Parry. — The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025 Former US Open champion Wyndham Clark shot a five-under-par 66 to get himself to five under. The highlight of Yorkshireman John Parry's day was holing a 199-yard eight iron for an ace at the 13th in a round of 67 which saw him finish three under.
The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
John Parry sinks first hole-in-one of The Open 2025 to move into contention
A hole-in-one for England's John Parry catapulted him onto the leaderboard on day three of The Open at Royal Portrush. The 38-year-old's tee shot at the 199-yard 13th took three bounces before disappearing into the hole. Parry, playing in only his second Open after a debut in 2022, started on the cut-mark at one over and was not really going anywhere in his round with just one birdie on the front nine getting him to level par. However, a birdie at the 532-yard 12th proved the spark he needed and his ace – the first of the tournament – at the next was followed by a 13-foot birdie at the 15th. That moved the Yorkshireman, a team-mate of Rory McIlroy at the 2007 Walker Cup, into the top 10 on four under. He was to drop a shot at the last but Parry was happy with his round. 'It was a great day and an experience I won't forget and making a hole in one,' he said of his sweetly-struck eight-iron. 'I think I've had about 10 (holes-in-one) but definitely the best, best one.' It came after McIlroy began his charge to reel in world number one Scottie Scheffler with three birdies in his first four holes on the third day. The Northern Irishman, from an hour down the road at Holyrood, promised he would be 'firing over the weekend' after making the cut on three under – which was more than he managed six years ago on his home Open here. He was true to his word with a brilliant 36-foot curling putt at the first, made possible by hitting the opening fairway for the first time this week, and his longest putt of the week produced a determined but understated clenched fist celebration. The Masters champion has the power to reach the 575-yard second into the wind in two and duly did so with an approach to 27ft from the right rough. He could not hole his eagle attempt but settled for a birdie, with a brilliant approach to seven feet at the par-four fourth gaining him another shot to get within four of 10-under leader Scheffler, who had still to take to the course alongside England's Matt Fitzpatrick.
