RORY’S CADDIE BLAST

FROM BACK PAGE are you doing?’ It definitely helped, he did a great job. It was much appreciated.

“I was nervous, anxious going out, and timid. I really didn’t find the middle of the club face until the seventh tee.

“It was a lack of confidence from the last couple of weeks getting into my head a bit.

“But JP reminded me who I was and that helped and got me back in a positive frame of mind.”

After bogeying five of the first six holes, he rallied impressively to finish one-over par, and tees off this morning six behind US leaders Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar.

Strong winds and rain are predicted to hit the late starters today in Southport and McIlroy added: “With the weather we are expecting Friday, I am still right in this golf tournament.

“If I can go out in the morning and get in the clubhouse around level par or under par, I think I will be still well in it for the weekend.”