Rory McIlroy bogeyed two of his last three holes and faded to a one-under 71 in the first round of the Irish Open on Thursday in his latest homecoming.
The world No 2, who attracted the biggest galleries of the day at The K Club, was looking to sharpen up his game a few weeks out from the Ryder Cup in Bethpage Black, where the Northern Irishman is expected to be Europe’s key player once again.
“It’s great every time I come back and play in this tournament. The crowds are unbelievable and it’s obviously a pleasure to play in front of them. They create a great atmosphere,” McIlroy said.
He was still encouraged by how he played – he birdied four of his first nine holes after starting at the 10th.
“It felt like I played better than what the score reflects. Felt like I hit the ball well, drove the ball well,” McIlroy said, adding: “Just had that disappointing finish, bogeying two of the last three holes.
“But actually pretty encouraged [by] how I played. Just didn’t score as well as I wanted to.
“Just a matter of being more efficient with the scoring.”
His finish hurt him most, missing the green at the seventh and eighth and failing to get up and down for par.
Rory McIlroy ‘loves’ the team Luke Donald has assembled for the Ryder Cup and believes Team Europe ‘have a wonderful opportunity’ at Bethpage Black.
“Ball striking-wise, I thought I was pretty good today,” McIlroy said. “Around the greens for the most part I was good. I missed a couple of mid-range putts there at the end of the round to save par and that one at the last for birdie, but felt like I hit decent putts and just hitting edges.
“So hopefully I can get it going tomorrow and shoot a low one.”
McIlroy, who was in Northern Ireland in July for The Open at Royal Portrush, was five strokes off the clubhouse lead held by Nacho Elvira, whose 66 was bogey-free and contained birdies in four of his last six holes.
The Spaniard was one shot ahead of Bernd Wiesberger, Daniel Brown and Adrien Saddier.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry, another member of Europe’s Ryder Cup team, was playing in front of his home crowd and birdied three of his last six holes to shoot 69.
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