A disappointing round of +7 by Rory McIlroy as Shane Lowry shoots 66 and is one behind -6 leader Daniel Brown at The 152nd Open Championship
2019 Open Championship winner Shane Lowry was drawn to play with LIV Tour member Cameron Smith and 2022 US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick at 02:59PM. The drizzle and breezy conditions on Thursday at Royal Troon suited Lowry especially with playing holes one to four in -1. Green speed on the links 7,300 yard par 71 layout was 10.7 and Lowry held two extraordinary putts at seven & postage stamp eighth hole to shoot an impressive front nine of -3. The start of back nine was crucial for Lowry especially with playing holes 10 and 11 in a remarkable -1. Keeping dropped shots off your card was a challenge for a field of 157 golfers and Lowry played 17 holes without making an error. The Offaly native hit a sensational nine iron from 177 yards at 18 and held his putt to sign for an impressive bogey free -5 round.
The action on the west coast of Scotland started at 06:35Am with a remembrance for long time announcer Ivor Robson before Justin Leonard getting action underway. One of the headline morning groups included 2014 Open Championship winner Rory McIlroy playing with Max Homa and Tyrrell Hatton at 10:09AM. McIlroy playing in his first major since US Open disappointment and started extremely poorly with a bogey at one. The Northern Irishman opened up his birdie count with an impressive wedge shot from 116 yards at three and held his putt to return level par. Royal Troon 18 holes is surrounded by 98 bunkers and McIlroy was a victim of 118 yard eighth hole resulting in a double bogey.
McIlroy continued to struggle especially in starting the back nine playing holes 10 and 11 in +3. The four-time major champion finished his round with two bogeys at 15 and 18 to sign for a disappointing +7 round of 78. “I was sort of struggling to hole the ball in that wind a little bit, and that got me”, said McIlroy. McIlroy is currently tied 129th and will start Friday’s round at 03:10PM. “As I said, I have to do a better job in those conditions, and I need to go out there and play better and try to shoot something under-par and at least be here for the weekend”, said McIlroy.
Justin Thomas was also a part of Thursday’s early coverage and played the front nine in -3. Thomas held 100 feet of putts on day one which included birdies at 17 and 18 to return -3. Justin Rose was forced to qualify for this year’s Open Championship and got off to a good start with shooting an exceptional -2 round of 69. Xander Schauffele who recently won his first major at PGA Championship played in the afternoon leading group with Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay. Schauffele’s highlights were two incredible birdies at extremely difficult fifth & 11th hole and is in great shape on -2. Alex Noren, Nicolai Hojgaard and Mackenzie Hughes are also tied fourth on -2.
17 players are currently under par and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka’s opening round of -1 included four birdies in a row from hole four to seven. World number one Scottie Scheffler was also a part of afternoon coverage playing his first tournament in three weeks. Scheffler started his round with a bogey at the first hole but played steady and finished with a sensational birdie to shoot a -1 round of 70. Two-time Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington got off to an extremely poor start but played the back nine in -1 to post +1. McIlroy wasn’t the only player to struggle on day one as Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Bryson DeChambeau shot a combined +18.