Rory McIlroy began his title defence at the Irish Open with a composed start of 1-under par 71. He showed rare talent but missed a lot of chances out on the campaign. The tournament was held at The K Club, a pedestal that McIlroy, who grew up across the pond in Northern Ireland, is no stranger to. He is preparing for Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. This performance was an important measure of his preparation ahead of the Sport’s most coveted prize.
Beginning the day at No. 10, McIlroy made a quick move up the leaderboard, carding birdies on four of his opening nine holes. His momentum ran out of steam toward the close of the round. He bogeyed two of his last three holes, including a disappointing finish on holes 7 and 8, where he failed to get up and down for par.
Such disappointments would seem to rattle most players, McIlroy seemed buoyed by his overall performance. “Game feels pretty good. Just a matter of being more efficient with the scoring,” he stated after completing his round. His conviction that he played better than his score suggests underscores the potential that he’s found in his game.
Ending the day five shots back of the clubhouse lead, McIlroy is keeping his head down trying to hone his best stuff. With the Ryder Cup around the corner, each round will be a key chance for him to sharpen himself into form. With only a few weeks to go before the competition, McIlroy understands the importance of consistency and efficiency in his scoring.
The Irish Open stands out as one of the key events for me,” he said. He talked about the importance of competing on home soil, with Royal Portrush being the last course played in July of this year. His time at The Open proved to be illuminating in other ways. He’s looking to build on them coming into this tournament.
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