Rory McIlroy's dream of lifting the Claret Jug on home soil turned into a nightmare as the Northern Irishman suffered a calamitous start at The Open Championship in Royal Portrush.
The four-time major champion, who had been tipped as one of the favourites, carded a shocking eight-over-par 79 in his opening round - his worst ever score at golf's oldest major.
A Day to Forget for McIlroy
McIlroy's round began disastrously when he hooked his very first shot out of bounds, leading to a quadruple-bogey eight on the first hole. The local hero never recovered from this early setback, struggling with both his driving and putting throughout the round.
"It's obviously not the start I wanted," admitted a visibly frustrated McIlroy after his round. "I let the occasion get to me a little bit and made some uncharacteristic mistakes."
What Went Wrong?
Analysts pointed to several factors in McIlroy's disappointing performance:
- Nerves: The pressure of performing in front of a home crowd appeared to affect his usually reliable swing
- Course Management: Several questionable club selections led to costly errors
- Putting Woes: McIlroy missed multiple short putts that would have saved crucial strokes
The Road to Recovery
While McIlroy's chances of winning are effectively over, the 30-year-old vowed to fight back in his second round: "I'll go out tomorrow and try to shoot the best score I can. It's not about winning now, it's about pride."
Golf fans around the world will be watching to see if the former champion can bounce back from this humbling experience at one of golf's most prestigious tournaments.
