McIlroy Seven Back After Two-Over 72 and Putting Woes at The Open

Rory McIlroy carded a two-over round of 72 at The Open, leaving him seven shots behind leader Jackson Suber after ranking 104th in putting.

Rory McIlroy opened his quest for a second Claret Jug with a two-over-par 72 at The Open, a score that leaves the world No. 2 seven shots behind American leader Jackson Suber. The Masters champion struggled significantly on the greens, ranking 104th in the putting statistics after missing three separate putts from inside four feet. His round concluded at 8:43 p.m. under difficult conditions, characterized by stiffening northerly winds off the sea and crusty greens baked by the sun. This performance places him in a difficult historical position, as each of the previous 26 Open winners were within five strokes of the lead following the opening round.

Putting Statistics and Early Struggles

The Rory McIlroy Open campaign faltered early when he failed to save par at the par-3 fourth hole. His difficulties intensified at the short seventh, where he two-potted from inside four feet to drop another stroke. At the eighth hole, he missed a three-foot attempt for birdie, leaving him two over par through seven holes. While the morning starters enjoyed a light easterly breeze, McIlroy’s 3:15 p.m. tee time forced him to navigate much harsher weather. He managed to turn in one over par after driving the green on the 415-yard, downwind ninth hole and successfully converting the putt.

Back Nine Momentum and Par-5 Errors

McIlroy’s momentum stalled immediately on the back nine with consecutive bogeys, causing his putting rank to plummet to 155th out of 156 players in the field. He briefly recovered at the 13th hole, sinking a 24-foot putt that caught the side of the cup, an effort he acknowledged with a sardonic tilt of the head. Despite holing a 12-foot birdie at the 206-yard 15th, he struggled through the par-5s. At the 17th, he hooked his approach into the gallery and subsequently flew the green into a bunker. After contorting his stance to splash the ball out to eight feet, he missed the resulting putt to record his sixth bogey of the day.

Late Birdie and Historical Context

The Northern Irishman salvaged a positive finish at the 18th hole by striking a 198-yard approach to within five feet. He converted the short birdie putt to finalize his round of 72. This late success was a rare highlight on a day where the greens were at their most difficult due to the lack of moisture. McIlroy is currently chasing his seventh major championship, a milestone that would establish him as the most successful European golfer in history. However, he now faces an uphill battle to catch Suber, an unknown American who leads the field. Other notable moments from the first round included Mateo Pulcini performing an Enzo Fernández celebration and Scottie Scheffler recovering an awry ball during his opening circuit.