RORY ALL FIRED UP
But putting holds McIlroy back
RORY McILROY is revved up for a fast start at Ballyliffin this morning as he seeks to build on an opening round at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open which he insisted was ‘the best I’ve hit the ball in a long time’. But for 32 putts of baggage yesterday, McIlroy (70) would be the hunted, not the hunter, as he trails leader Ryan Fox, whose early 67 repelled all-comers. ‘I put the ball in play, did what I needed to do, and drove the ball very well. My iron play was good. I just struggled on the greens,’ said McIlroy.
Asked if he was not as confident with the putter as he’d like to be, a candid McIlroy replied: ‘No,’ and then added immediately: ‘But that can change.’
The world number eight smoked the ball miles off the tee and found 12 greens out of 15 as he put into play the benefits of an intense Wednesday night session with his long-time swing coach Michael Bannon.
‘We were working on the feeling of releasing my right arm or
throwing my right arm towards the target and getting it on the right path. It is just a matter of trusting that,’ he said. McIlroy admitted he is using the Irish Open as a stepping stone towards assaults on The Open and US PGA, the final two majors of the season. And he’d love to head to Carnoustie the week after next surfing the crest of a win in his home Open. ‘What I saw out there today was really good and I just need to continue to do that and just hole a few more putts. If I could improve as the week goes on, heading into Carnoustie in that aspect, I’d be really happy,’ he said. Pádraig Harrington leads the 14-strong home challenge on a day when Ballyliffin, thanks to narrow fairways, strategic bunkers and subtle greens, refused to buckle under blue skies. With 43 players under the par of 72, it is anyone’s tournament. ‘My performances always go up when it comes to a links course,’ said Harrington who hit three birdies in his final six holes for a 68. Leader Fox is the son of Rugby World Cup winner Grant Fox, and is seeking to become only the second New Zealander to win the Irish Open, and the first since Michael Campbell in 2003.