Nine-over nightmare for Rory McIlroy

World number one posts worst European round in five years at Irish Open

NEWCASTLE: Rory McIlroy faces missing the cut for a second week in succession after posting his worst European round in five years on day one of the Irish Open on Thursday.

The world number one failed to record a single birdie in a shock round of nine-over par 80 on a day of constant wind along with intermittent showers at Royal County Down, Newcastle in Northern Ireland.

McIlroy’s score left the four-time Major Champion with the embarrassment of being last among the morning starters while fellow PGA Championship and US Open winner Martin Kaymer, who played alongside McIlroy, was only marginally better with a round of eight-over 79.

“Off the tee I felt my game was okay and I put myself in positions but then as I got closer to the greens, the worse it got,” said McIlroy. “I didn’t hit very many good iron shots and then from there my putting wasn’t that good with my speed off and I sort of just lost concentration on the greens.

“So nothing went right and I was trying hard to birdie the last to try and break 80 but it just didn’t quite happen.”

McIlroy arrived home in Northern Ireland having missed the cut in last week’s Tour flagship event at Wentworth.

But while he was the defending champion last week, McIlroy’s Irish Open record is poor having missed the cut the previous two years.  

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th,  2015.

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