Rory McIlroy gets 100% real after disheartening start

Dejected Rory McIlroy Struggles in Opening Round of 152nd Open Championship

Rory McIlroy’s hopes for contending in the 152nd Open Championship took a severe hit after a disappointing opening round of 78 at Royal Troon. The Northern Irish golfer effectively ruled out his chances of winning, stating, “All I need to focus on is tomorrow and try to make the cut,” according to Kieran Canning.

Rory McIlroy’s Struggles

McIlroy began his round evenly, sitting at even par after the first seven holes. However, a double bogey on the signature par-three eighth hole, known as the Postage Stamp, derailed his momentum. His attempt to escape a bunker saw the ball roll back to his feet, marking the start of a challenging day.

“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,” McIlroy remarked. Despite playing the back nine downwind, McIlroy’s troubles continued. A drive out of bounds on the 11th hole led to another double bogey, leaving him seven over par and trailing clubhouse leader Justin Thomas by 10 shots.

Reflecting on his round, McIlroy, who recently missed out on his fifth major title at the US Open, said, “I felt like I did OK for the first part of the round and then missed the green at the Postage Stamp there and made a double.”

Bryson DeChambeau Also Struggles

Bryson DeChambeau, who narrowly defeated McIlroy at Pinehurst to secure his second US Open title, also faced a tough start, carding a 76. DeChambeau managed to salvage his round with a 55-foot eagle on the 16th hole, but his front nine of 42, which included a double bogey on the 612-yard sixth hole, highlighted his struggles. The American golfer’s second shot on the sixth advanced only a few yards from the heavy rough before he had to hit his next shot onto the adjacent 13th fairway.

The challenging morning conditions, marked by light rain and gusty winds of up to 23 miles per hour, added to the difficulties faced by many golfers.

Justin Thomas Rises to the Occasion

Despite the adverse weather, Justin Thomas managed to secure a 3-under round, maintaining a strong position on the leaderboard. Thomas started his round with a chip-in birdie on the par-4 second hole and added three more birdies to reach the turn at 3-under 33. However, his momentum faltered on the back nine. A poorly pulled tee shot on the 12th forced him to take a penalty drop, resulting in a double bogey. Another bogey followed on the 13th due to a drive pushed into the high rough.

Thomas finished his round strongly, sinking birdies on the last two holes, including a 25-footer on No. 18, bringing him back to 3 under par. This placed him one stroke ahead of Alex Noren, Nicolai Højgaard, Justin Rose, and Russell Henley.

Other Notable Performances

Shane Lowry took advantage of the calmer late afternoon conditions to surge to the top of the leaderboard at five under par. In contrast, Cameron Smith, the 2021 champion at St. Andrews, struggled with an 80, and World No. 4 Ludvig Åberg had a challenging debut British Open round, finishing with a four-over 75.

As the tournament progresses, McIlroy and DeChambeau will need to improve significantly to stay in contention, while Thomas and Lowry will aim to maintain their strong starts.