McIlroy still hasn’t found what he’s looking for
A SHOCKING START FOR ‘JEKYLL AND HYDE’ RORY BEFORE LATE FIGHTBACK
WHEN Rory McIlroy walked out to the first tee at 2.48pm yesterday, he was already five shots off the lead.
By the time he bogeyed five of the first six holes, the world No.4 (above) seemed to be only chasing late afternoon shadows.
But really the former world No.1, who recovered to finish six shots behind pacesetters Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar, with his opening 71, has been playing catch-up all season.
And he will have to do the same over the next three days at The Open. McIlroy has been searching for form and confidence, while missing three of his last four cuts on both sides of the Atlantic.
On the back nine last night, he looked like he had finally found something.
The Ulsterman started his golfing year by losing a play-off at the BMW South African Open in mid-January, despite playing with a cracked rib. He took seven weeks off and has since shown glimpses of his undoubted talent, but the nagging injury, which forced him out again in May, has stalled any momentum.
Yesterday, on unforgiving Royal Birkdale, he avoided the worst of the weather but still got caught up in his own perfect storm on a horrible front nine.
Sky Sports analyst Darren Clarke said: “It is sad to watch. He is struggling at the moment. The game is winning.”
He needed a 20-foot par-saver at No 8 to avoid going six-over par. But McIlroy played his final 12 holes like a four-time Major winner as he birdied 11 and 15 – and his eagle putt at 17 pulled up inches short, before he nailed another long putt on 18 to end his rollercoaster round with a fist pump.
“I have been working on a few things on the range and it didn’t quite translate onto the golf course,” he said. “After seven holes I decided to have 100 per cent trust in myself and got better.” Spieth carded his lowest-ever round at The Open – and his fourth bogey-free round in Majors with his 65. He hit only five out of 14 fairways but hit 15 out of 18 greens in regulation with razor-sharp iron play. Koepka, coached by Yorkshireman Pete Cowen, is now attempting his own backto-back successes, despite not playing since his four-shot US Open win on June 18. World No.18 Kuchar had drawn level with his two Ryder Cup teammates, after only nine holes, when he made the turn in 29 before parring his way home.