Rory McIlroy sits four shots off the lead after a testing opening round at the Amgen Irish Open in Doonbeg, where gusts up to 35mph made life difficult for the entire field.
A one-under par opening round was posted by the world No 2, who carded it in blustery conditions at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel. Ireland’s Shane Lowry sits two strokes behind the leader. The Chilean Joaquin Niemann holds the top spot after setting a new course record of 65.
Niemann’s Course Record
Before the turn, Niemann was two under. Then he caught fire, stringing together four consecutive birdies from the 14th hole onward. That round left him in contention for a $30,000 (£22,000) bonus for the lowest round of the week.
Frederic Lacroix, a French player, saw his ball blown off the green during play of the 13th. The conditions were so harsh that the wind removed it from the putting surface entirely. Fortunately, he had already marked his ball, which allowed him to put it back without penalty.
Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner and Renato Paratore looked set to challenge for the top of the leaderboard at three under through 12 and 11 respectively, but fading light could thwart their progress.
McIlroy’s Battle
The man who claimed the title at the K Club twelve months ago began with two birdies across his first four holes. He then completed the outward nine in a two-under 34, a round that took three and a half hours.
The man from Northern Ireland came up short on a four-foot birdie try at the opening hole, then sank a 14-footer at the next. He escaped from a bunker to three feet at the par-five fourth for his second birdie, but failed from 10 feet at the seventh for a third.
A fairway bunker on the 13th led to a double-bogey, with a missed 10-foot putt compounding the damage. A fine approach to the 15th helped pull a stroke back, but he narrowly missed a lengthy birdie attempt on the 18th.
The round stretched to about six hours, during which long waits on tee boxes became a frequent occurrence throughout the day.
McIlroy’s Verdict
“There was a couple of things that were tough today. Obviously the wind and the strength of the wind was one thing, and then the pace of play,” McIlroy said.
“This course isn’t conducive to sort of letting you get in a flow. Especially the first two days with so many people in the field, there is a lot of stopping and starting.”
“It’s hard when you are playing a round of golf and it takes six hours, it’s hard to get into the rhythm of things, but felt like I did a good job.”
“After making the double bogey on 13, I was just trying to get those two shots back by the end of the day. Didn’t quite do that, but finishing under par for the day was a reasonable effort.”
“I hung in there, shot under par, and at least don’t feel like I’m out of the tournament. A good day tomorrow gets me right back in it.”
Lowry In The Mix
Lowry, the home favourite who captured this title as a 22-year-old amateur in Baltray, stayed in contention throughout. He ended his round in the clubhouse at three under.
Other Contenders
Tom McKibbin from Northern Ireland ended up at two under after dropping a stroke on the last green. He played alongside European team captain Luke Donald and Alex Fitzpatrick.
Robert MacIntyre played alongside Rory McIlroy, finishing at two over for the round, while his own game swung between strong and weak moments. He began well with a fine birdie at the 17th, rolling in a 37-foot putt, before things turned against him. His tee shot at the last found the deep rough, and he had to settle for a six to close out his round.
Koepka, given an invitation to play, had a rough day. He opened his round with a seven on the first hole and finished five over par.
Rahm posted a score of even par after being tied to a potential return to the PGA Tour amid uncertainty about the future of LIV Golf.
Key Facts From Round One
- Niemann carded a course-record 65 with four straight birdies from the 14th
- McIlroy finished one under despite a double-bogey at the 13th
- Lowry sits two shots off the lead at three under
- Koepka started with a seven on the first and finished at five over
- Rahm finished at level par
What’s Next
On Friday morning, McIlroy hopes for an improved performance alongside a better weather forecast. A solid round would put him right back in contention.
Friday brings two sessions of live coverage, the first of which begins at 9.30am on Sky Sports+, followed by a second session that gets underway at 5pm.
The opening round produced several notable performances worth tracking into Friday:
- Niemann’s 65 stands as the round of the day and the course record
- Lowry’s three-under total keeps the home challenge alive
- McKibbin’s two-under round came despite a closing bogey
- MacIntyre’s two-over finish included a 37-foot birdie at the 17th
- Koepka’s five-over day started with a seven on the first
A one-under performance keeps McIlroy well inside contention for the lead, and his own reading of the situation is that he remains firmly in the tournament. Should he put together a strong second round, the leaderboard’s shape could be altered entirely.
Source: skysports.com
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