The Open first round as it happened: Rory McIlroy battles to stay within five of the lead

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Big hopes for the Irish this week, particularly on Rory McIlroy, who comes into the event having won the previous week in stunning fashion – a birdie-birdie finish to win the Scottish Open – and having won the last time the Open was played here at Royal Liverpool in 2014. He’s hot favourite with the bookies, although one of the main challengers is alongside him, Masters champion Jon Rahm. They’re out around 3pm.

Shane Lowry was out at 10am, and he is looking for all the parts to click this week as he chases a second Claret Jug. He went around his first nine in level par, which is a solid start but will be looking for a few more birdies on the back nine. Meanwhile, Pádraig Harrington is battling after a tough start that saw him +4 after 7. He’s currently +3 after 13 holes on a day with decent winds in England. Alongside him Séamus Power is +1, while Bettystown amateur Alex Maguire is finished on the same score. Darren Clarke rounds off the Irish at +2. Another amateur leads, South Africa’s Christo Lamprecht, the 6 foot 8 golfer who had the round of his life, a five-under-par 66. That is the score to beat today.

LEADERBOARD

-5 Christo Lamprecht (F), Tommy Fleetwood (F), Emiliano Grillo (F)

-4 Antoine Rozner (F), Adrian Otaegui (F), Brian Harman (F)

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-3 Stewart Cink (F), Wyndham Clark (F), Alex Noren (F), Max Homa (17)

IRISH:

E Séamus Power (F), Rory McIlroy (F)

+1 Alex Maguire (F), Shane Lowry (F)

+2 Darren Clarke (F)

+3 Pádraig Harrington (F)

Big cheer for Jordan Spieth at the 16th as he holes a birdie putt to go to -3 and a tie for 2nd. His fifth birdie of the day, and recovering well from a double bogey with three birdies since. Home favourite Tommy Fleetwood going well also early doors.

A big wide with the putt by Brooks Koepka after a good approach on 15, he’s level par, as is world number one Scottie Scheffler and Rickie Fowler. Shane Lowry has parred the 12th and just off the first page of the leaderboard at 1 under. Spieth hits the middle of the green on the 17th and hits a nice putt from 25 feet but just short.

Birdie for Fleetwood at 14! Putt goes right in the heart of the hole, looks in great form as he moves into a tie for second. Fleetwood grew up in this part of the world and has a big following today. He splits the fairway then at the par 5 15th. A bogey for Scheffler on 14 as he drops to +1. Defending champion Cameron Smith meanwhile misses a great birdie putt opportunity.

A bad error by Lowry on the 13th as he chips well over the green, unlike him. He gets up and down with the next one though, and limits the damage to just a bogey. He’s back to level. Birdie for Koepka as he moves into red figures, 1 under now as the five-time major winner is going along nicely.

Oof, nasty lie for Clark as he tries to hack out at full power but the ball only goes a yard in the rough. Then with the next one he hits into more hay at 14. A sign of the trouble on this course. Super chip in by Sepp Straka on the last for par, lovely stuff. More short game magic, this time by Fleetwood, sets up an easy birdie chance on the 15th to move into second. Here was an earlier birdie:

Not a great drive by Spieth at the last leaves him with a 270-yard wood in for his third shot to the par 5. His fairway wood goes left near the grandstand as Fleetwood makes his birdie to go to -4. Adam Scott joins the group on -2 with a birdie on 15, which is also birdied by Scheffler who gets to Even.

Fleetwood pulls his drive at the 16th into the rough. Scheffler goes even farther to the left on the same hole. Clark somehow escapes with a bogey after the messing in the rough at the 14th. All about keeping double bogeys off the card.

A bogey at the last for Spieth, didn’t get up and down. That’s a round of 69 for the 2017 champion, he will still be pleased. Fleetwood plays into the teeth of the wind on 16 and another fine iron to 25 feet. Meanwhile, an important par putt for Lowry! Left himself a 20-footer but holes it to keep things ticking.

And another! Fleetwood on fire as he moves to -5, holes from 25 feet. That’s four birdies on the back nine. His recent form has seen him finish 2nd, T5 and T6 on three of his last four PGA Tour events, and finished second behind Shane Lowry at the 2019 Open at Portrush. French player Antoine Rozner moves into a tie for third while US Open champ Clark gains the shot he lost immediately and moves back to -2.

Defending champ Cameron Smith with two big putts on the last two holes, no surprises there. He moves back to Even. Fleetwood hits the back of the green on the 17, Scheffler and Scott hit it closer. Fleetwood lags it up for an easy par, par 5 to go. A double bogey for Siem at the 12th, he moves out of the first page of the board. Rickie Fowler has a 23 feet eagle putt on the 15th which he two-putts to go to -1.

Séamus Power and Pádraig Harrington are finished their rounds. Level-par 71 for Power, three-over 74 for Harrington. Disappointing for Harrington but could have been worse after a tough start. Power is well in the tournament and will be reasonably satisfied.

A bogey on the par 5 15th for Lowry! A poor three-hole stretch for him, went down the left of the hole and couldn’t get on the green in three, missed an 8 foot putt for par. Disappointing, he’ll fall for +1 on what is a birdie hole for most. Fleetwood down the left on the 18th, in the rough. Oh dear, Scott out for the provisional at the last, internal out of bounds there on the right. He hooks that one way left, overcompensating as any golfer knows after an OB. His round unravelling.

One of the best of the day for Smith at the 17th par 3, hits it close, surprisingly misses the putt though. Matsuyama just hits his birdie putt short at the last, but solid first round of 70. Koepka’s birdie putt just slips by at the last. Him and Cantlay also post rounds of 70.

Fleetwood lays up on the par 5 last. Despite being a par 5 with the wind, the OB on the right causing some issues and the hole is playing over par so far today.

Lowry is miles left on the 16th and playing from the other fairway hits a great iron shot in from a strange angle. But works, needs a birdie on the way home.

Fleetwood hits to the back of the green from the rough, two putts for a first round of 66 and a tie of the clubhouse lead. His first putt is 5 feet short though but he safely holes it and that’s a brilliant first round by the local favourite. World number one Scheffler birdies the last to finish on -1, round of 70. Lowry pars the 16th.

Hovland, Finau and Justin Thomas off the tee now at the first, as the big hitters get ready to tee off. Rory McIlroy playing in less than 10 minutes with Rahm and Justin Rose.

Super shot at the first by Finau, hits it stone dead with a wedge. Good round for Wyndham Clark completed, a three-under 68 that will have him tied third in the clubhouse, despite these rough issues:

Rory McIlroy’s first drive is well to the right! Not the best start. Rahm follows Rory down the right, but much better looking lie.

Justin Thomas chips a ball straight into a bunker. We all know that shot. Good bunker shot out of it though in follow-up. Cameron Smith posts a one-over 72, not the best start but not out of it. Fowler is up to -2 after a birdie at the 17th ... one of the pre-tournament favourites going well.

Lowry out with the wood at the last, going for it in two and he hits it in the front bunker. Good chance of getting it up and down from there. On the first hole – Rose hits in the pot bunker at the first and just splashes out. Rahm hits an iron to the back of the green, McIlroy’s approach to the middle of the green is very good from the rough. Solid.

Tommy Fleetwood, the clubhouse co-leader: “It was a great day. Always very nerve-racking playing in front of the home ground in such a big event. To get going on the back nine was really good, and the support was great as always. If you’re not going to enjoy this, what’s the point? Being this close to home is just the coolest thing. We’ll see if we can stay there throughout the week. It’s so, so special, it really is.”

Lowry on the last ... far from his best bunker shot, barely gets over the lip and slips to the right, longer birdie putt than he would have hoped. His putt looks in all the way ... but just falls right. So close! It’s a round of 72, one over for Shane Lowry.

McIlroy’s putt from 23 feet on the first is pulled left, but opening par is fine on the fifth hardest hole on the course. Fowler is out of bounds on the right on 18 ... that is a costly triple bogey to drop to +1. McIlroy at the 2nd hits another big slice with the driver. Rahm also goes right again, this time with an iron.

McIlroy went way right but only 115 yards to the hole, big drive and a wedge in from a good lie. And he takes advantage with a great approach! Brilliant wedge to five feet at the 2nd, he makes the putt to go to -1! Swede Alexander Bjork moves to three under and a tie for third.

Rory middle of the fairway on 3. He’s middle of the green too into the wind. Rahm’s shot not as solid, goes right near the OB but in the rough. Another birdie for Rozner, who moves to -3. Nice start by Finau, one under after three and 10 feet for birdie on 4.

A great effort from McIlroy from 35 feet, just misses but excellent lag putt. Looks confident so far as he heads to the 4th. Rahm gets up and down from the right of the green. A few birdie chances coming up, a short par 4 and a par 5 for the featured group.

McIlroy takes iron off the tee at the 4th and finds the middle of the fairway. Here’s that well-played birdie on the 2nd again:

Oh dear. Some 135 yards to the pin with a wedge, McIlroy hits it short and slowly falls into the front bunker. Rahm’s approach from the bunker jumps over the bunker but rolls left of the green.

Not the best bunker shot by McIlroy, goes down the slope but has an uphill par putt left. Rahm’s putt from off the green is way too strong but hits the flag and stops dead, lucky or unlucky? McIlroy’s 12 footer for par goes right and that’s a dropped shot on a par 4 that is 350 yards, disappointing. Back to Even.

Rahm belts a low bullet down the middle at the par 5 5th. Up to 20mph into the wind as Rory hits a good drive as well in the semi-rough.

McIlroy goes way right as he goes for the green at the 5th, but it’s greenside and a chance to get up and down for a birdie. Rahm from the middle of the fairway meanwhile goes well left, but lots of green to work with. Rozner birdies the last and moves to solo third at -4.

Slightly thinned chip from Rahm hits it over the green but makes a par, while McIlroy’s pitch from just off the green is good, but a bit of work to do for birdie. He misses to the left, big missed opportunity there. Level after five then.

Rahm in the bunker at the 6th, not the best start in ball-striking for the Masters champion, but the conditions are not easy out there. McIlroy hits a lovely draw but it’s short, trying to avoid the trouble at the back. Long putt to lag up left, which he leaves well short.

Good start for Max Homa, who birdies 4 and 5 to go to 2 under.

Par for McIlroy! Two putts from 52 feet, even after 6 holes. Rahm also saves his par, six par to start. Same for Viktor Hovland, but pars are not too bad today with the wind a factor.

Adrian Otaegui joins the group on -3 with a birdie at the 15th. Good drive by McIlroy on the 7th hole, long. 147 yards from the rough with his approach. High up in the air to the middle of the green.

30 feet for McIlroy on 7, just short and it’s a par. It’s a drop shot for Rahm, a three-putt and he falls to +1. Tough start for Justin Thomas, he is three over through 8. McIlroy hits an iron off the tee at the next and it’s middle of the fairway.

Golf correspondent Philip Reid is there for the Irish Times this week and he has been given the role of chairman of the Association of Golf Writers. Congrats Philip!

He writes that Harrington was left somewhat downbeat and firmly of the belief that he was already too far adrift after his round of 74 earlier.

As the Dubliner put it, “the problem with the Majors now is you don’t come back, you’ve got to keep yourself inside the top-15 spots. You don’t come back from way out in Majors (any more). We’re completely bombarded with all the different gambling sites and stats these days and we know it’s basically not a realistic chance unless you are within x shots of the lead and in x position after two rounds. Three-over takes me out of the tournament.”

Bogey for Rory! McIlroy misses from short range, hits his approach putt short and then horseshoes out from inside three feet. Unforced error and falls over par for the day. Meanwhile, a birdie for Rose in the featured group, has been all over the place today so will be happy to be back to +2.

Great response by McIlroy on the 9th, hits it 20 feet on the par 3. Chance for birdie coming up. Homa one of the best of the later players carries over the green at the 8th. Hatton, also -2, makes the middle of the green.

Don’t mess with the Leeds fans!

Noren goes birdie, eagle on 15 and 16 to go to -3. McIlroy misses the putt on 9. Front nine of 36 shots. Round has gone a bit flat.

Otageui goes for it at the last hole with a wood and left with a long eagle putt, but more realistically a chance to join Rozner on four under. An example of what can happen quickly at Royal Liverpool, particularly on the tricky 17th:

McIlroy went for it on 10 with driver and got lucky with the lie in the rough. Again a very good shot at the long par 4 from just short of the bump, 20 feet again for birdie. Birdie for Rahm from 31 feet to get to evern, whereas McIlroy misses to the left from closer. Desperately needs a jolt to get him going.

Otageui makes his birdie on 18 and makes it to the clubhouse in 4 under. Rahm and McIlroy make the 11th fairway. Ahead of them on the green, Hovland makes his first birdie of the day to get back to +1.

Bad swing there by McIlroy, way right, not for the first time. His approach goes the other side of the bunker and potentially a tough up and down there.

Oof, downhill lie and he just clears the bunker by a few inches. It rolls on and Rory leaves himself five feet for par on 11... which he gets! Rahm misses a short birdie putt on the same hole.

Homa makes birdie on 10 after a beautiful iron into the green and good putt, and into a tie for 10th. One of the better players of the later conditions.

Poor drive by McIlroy on the 12th, way left. Just grinding out there, not much happening at the minute. Will hope for a good lie. Rahm meanwhile is in the fairway bunker and has to play it backwards! Don’t see that too often. McIlroy up to 40 yards to the left off the tee, 132 yards to the green and hits it short.

A few players making moves - Homa to -3, Grillo to -4. Not happening that way in the featured group though as Rahm makes bogey on 12 and McIlroy leaves himself work to do to save par.... he misses the par putt from 11 feet. Round slipping away from here, but two par 5s to go.

Oof nice chip-in by Finau on 13 to get back to +1 from just off the green. Meanwhile, Hovland lips out his putt for birdie from much closer in. You’d hate that to happen to you in a match. On the 13th into the wind McIlroy hits the green, but a long way to go for birdie.

So close! Brilliant putt by McIlroy from 30 feet at the 13th but it agonisingly lips out for birdie. Rahm’s putt also fades off to the right.

Wow, big birdie at the last by Argentinian Emiliano Grillo, some 50 plus feet for birdie to join the leaders at -5! Grillo won on the PGA Tour at Colonial earlier in the summer. McIlroy’s approach to 14 is pin high but well to the left on the green.

Meanwhile on the beach...

Birdie for McIlroy! Magnificent putt and a long time coming. His second birdie of the day comes from 41 feet. First one he’s holed all day after narrowly missing at the previous hole. Par 5 to come next to change the narrative of the round.

Time for Rory to unleash at the 15th. It goes right though again... but a great bounce out of the rough and back to the fairway. Can attack the green from there. Rahm knocks it 10 yards past him though, also on the fairway. Five iron is well short and rolls into the greenside bunker. Rahm goes right of the green, both will look to get up and down for birdie there.

Superb putt at the last for Brian Harman, another player that joins the group on 4 under. The left-handed American tends to play well early in the big tournaments and has put himself in a good position again. Rahm chips it well on 15 to four feet. Good bunker shot by McIlroy to inside that. Should make birdie from there.

Birdie for McIlroy! Two in a row for Rory, a spring in his step now and back to even par for the day. A nice finish to get into red figures would be ideal now. Rahm misses his birdie putt to the left, bad error there. The putt on 14 that changed Rory’s week?

Oh yes, McIlroy in the zone now and he nails his drive on 16, 308 yards into the wind. Hovland birdies on 16 to get to -1.

McIlroy in prime position, 178 yards, but a club too much? Pitches it over the flag and runs off the back. Rahm hits a better approach to 25 feet. Keegan Bradley going nicely and just missed a putt to get to 3 under. Max Homa has a 7 footer left for birdie to get to -4. Hovland attacks the 17th and leaves himself a good birdie chance. Some chances at the end of the round as the wind dies down slightly.

Not Rory’s best there with the approach putt from off the green, dealing with sprinklers and a shadow. He has 5 feet left for par on 16... which he makes! Vital. Alongside him, Rahm misses for par inside 4 feet. That will sting. Not been Rahm’s day so far and he’s +2. Meanwhile, Homa misses the birdie on 15.

McIlroy’s shot at the short 17th just stays up on the green, 15 feet up the hill for birdie to try to get under par. Putt was never in though, left all the way. Should be a par though.

McIlroy takes a 2 iron at the last on the par 5, interesting choice. Very good shot, right down the fairway. Good position as he tries to get under par at the last.

Oh dear, the nightmare for Justin Thomas continues. +7 heading to the last... four shots into the bunker, hits into another bunker... then chips out sideways. Heading for a round over 80 today for the two-time major champion. His woes continue. A 9 at the last... an 82, yikes.

McIlroy’s iron at the last is well hit, but fires straight into the fairway bunker... and unfortunately up near the lip. Could be a tough bunker shot coming up, what sort of stance will he have? Will be an interesting finish.

A double bogey for Mickelson on the 17th, bunker to bunker and misses the putt. Some devillish bunkers here. Rory can’t decide what to do, high-risk situation. A high lip of a few feet. Rahm in a similar position chips it out of the bunker backwards and then middle of the green.

Oh no, Rory tries to hit it sideways and hits the lip! Still in the bunker... one leg out of the bunker. Brilliant second bunker shot, has around 10 feet for par.

Rory makes par! Makes important 10 footer at the last after some trouble in the bunkers. It’s a level-par round of 71 and only five shots behind. Some great grinding at the end of his round as the 18th hole shows it is no joke.

Rory McIlroy: I felt like I played okay. It was a tricky day today with some of the pins. I had my eyes on a round in the 60s, I wanted to be a bit lower but I’m right in the golf tournament. I need a round in the 60s tomorrow and I’ll be right there at the weekend.

The drama of the 18th hole again:

Max Homa pars 18 to post 68, that’s one of the best rounds of the later tee times. That’s it for me today! A recap of the early golf today:

[ Irish early birds hoping it’s not an Open and shut case already at Hoylake ]

And Philip Reid’s report of Rory McIlroy’s rollercoaster round to come. I’m back tomorrow to blog Rory’s second round. Tee off at 9.58am. The Irish tee times tomorrow:

9.58am: Rory McIlroy

12.09pm: Alex Maguire (a)

2.15pm: Pádraig Harrington, Séamus Power

3.10pm: Shane Lowry

Good night!