Rory McIlroy’s Open bid was derailed… when his errant shot went over the railway line at Royal Troon.
And the world number two shot a miserable 78 in the first round – a huge blow. 7 overs par.
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But Shane Lowry has a chance for glory with a five-under 66. 12 shots Steer clear of your Ryder Cup buddy.
McIlroy also hit the buffers with a double-bogey five on the famous Postage Stamp hole as strong winds destroyed his train of thought.
The 35-year-old – who is in the fray looking to end a decade-long major drought – said: “All I have to focus on is trying to make the cut.
He said, “The conditions were difficult in the last nine overs and I could not perform well.”
“I did okay in the first half, then missed the green on the postage stamp and made a double.”
“Then hit it out of bounds on 11, made a double there. I was surprised at how tough the back nine played.”
Fans crisscrossed a little-used track in the 11th over to search for McIlroy’s lost ball – which was stuck in dense bushland.
The Northern Irishman won his fourth and final major title at the 2014 USPGA Championship, and now faces a tough challenge to secure a place in tomorrow evening’s tournament.
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He refused to give up his bid but added: “I’ve got to score under par and be here for the weekend, get up the leaderboard and I think I’ve got half a chance.”
Irishman Lowry, who won the event in 2019, said: “I made a putt and thought, ‘This is the first time I’ve led the Open for five years’.
Rahm: ‘As difficult as it was, I got a good result today’“I’d like to give myself a chance. If I can keep making hole putts, I can be dangerous.”
World number one Scottie Scheffler said the conditions were so difficult that his shots were off by 50 yards.
“When you throw a wet ball up in the air, it’s amazing how small it goes,” he said.
“I think it was No. 2 today, I was 165 from the pin on a little slope, and I hit a holed 5-iron, which for me is usually around 205.
“It probably went up to 155 max. Probably went up to 150, and finally got to 155, and I striped it.
“A little bit of an upward tilt had a hand in it, but I mean, I flew it down pretty good, and that was my 205 shot, and it went to 155.”
Get to know about Rory McIlroy’s tempestuous love life
Rory McIlroy enjoyed a high-profile romance with former world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki before they split in 2014.
The following year, the golfer began dating Erica Stoll, whom he first met on the PGA Tour in 2011.
Erica often interacted with players through her role as the PGA’s Championship Volunteer Operations Manager.
He even prevented McIlroy from missing his tee time at the 2012 Ryder Cup due to some confusion over time zones.
The incident marked the beginning of a deep friendship between the two, which turned into a romantic relationship four years later.
McIlroy and Erica were spotted on several dates in Rochester, New York during the early days of their relationship.
Just eight months later, the couple got engaged in Paris and tied the knot at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017.
Three years later, the couple welcomed daughter Poppy into the world.
During their time together, McIlroy and Erica kept their relationship to themselves, with the golfer attempting to protect his family from cameras during the filming of Netflix’s Full Swing documentary series.
However, after seven years of marriage, McIlroy filed for divorce from Erica.
The reasons for the divorce were not disclosed, but the Northern Irish man filed documents in a Florida court.
However, a few weeks later, he took a U-turn on his decision to divorce.
McIlroy told the outlet: “Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and are looking forward to a fresh start.”
Daniel Brown takes charge with -6 on Day 1
