Rory McIlroy expressed frustration after a turbulent first round at The Open, carding a two-over 72 at Royal Birkdale. The 37-year-old back-to-back Masters champion made six bogeys and four birdies, leaving him tied for 85th place, seven shots behind surprise leader Jackson Suber.
McIlroy Laments 'Stupid' Errors
Speaking after the round, McIlroy said: "There were just too many stupid mistakes – but every time I made a stupid mistake, thankfully, I made a birdie to sort of keep myself in it." He noted difficulties with putting, missing three four-foot putts in four holes. "It's tough to get out of that and stay committed to what you're trying to do on the greens," he added.
Optimism Despite Slow Start
Despite the shaky start, McIlroy remains optimistic. He pointed to his strong driving and solid shot-making, saying: "I'm not too far away." He hopes to take advantage of better conditions in the Friday morning round to shoot under par and get back into contention. The seven-shot deficit is the same gap he overcame at Augusta last year, and Mark O'Meara won from further back at Royal Birkdale in 1998.
Leaderboard and Conditions
Jackson Suber leads after a five-under 65, one stroke ahead of Dan Brown and Im Sung-jae. A group of nine players, including Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Young, and Robert MacIntyre, sit three-under. McIlroy noted the scoring discrepancy between morning and afternoon rounds and expects conditions to flip on Friday.
