Rory McIlroy buries US Open misery with impressive Scotland start

NORTH BERWICK, SCOTLAND – Rory McIlroy put his US Open heartbreak behind him when he made an impressive start to the defence of his Scottish Open title on July 11.

The Northern Irishman carded a five-under 65 to sit just a shot off the first-round clubhouse lead shared by Germany’s Max Kieffer and China’s Li Haotong.

“I’m not going to let three or four holes cloud my judgment in terms of how good I’m playing,” said the 35-year-old.

McIlroy is competing for the first time since agonisingly missing out on a fifth Major title at the US Open.

He held a two-shot lead with five holes to play at Pinehurst but bogeyed three of the last four before finishing a shot behind Bryson DeChambeau.

The devastating loss left McIlroy still looking to add to his last Major which he won in 2014.

However, the four-time Major champion insisted his game is in good shape ahead of the British Open at Royal Troon next week.

“I played well at the Canadian Open and at Memorial and the US PGA and Quail Hollow,” McIlroy added. “My game has been in good shape and it was in good shape coming in here.

“It’s just a matter of going out there and focusing on the task at hand and not letting your mind wander too much.

“I felt like I did a good job of that today.”

World No. 2 McIlroy chipped in for an eagle on the third hole, his 12th of the day, and also recorded five birdies, but missed good chances on three of his last five holes.

“I hit a couple of shots over the first few holes that I haven’t seen in practice over the last 10 days, so it was a bit of a reminder that golf isn’t as easy as sometimes I think it is,” McIlroy said.

“But then I really started to feel good. Especially on the front nine, our back nine, I started to hit some good drives, some good iron shots.”

Other star names taking part at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick include PGA Championship winner and 2022 Scottish Open champion Xander Schauffele (69), Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa and Ludvig Aberg, who had not completed their rounds at press time.

Over at the Evian Championship in France, Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit found herself in a three-way tie for the lead after the first round on July 11.

The world No. 28 is joined at the top by Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad and Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh, with all three carding seven-under 64.

Just a shot behind are a group that included South Korea’s 13th-ranked Kim Hyo-joo and New Zealand’s 19th-ranked Lydia Ko.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who is seeking to overcome a slump, was with home favourite Celine Boutier in a group that finished on 69.

There was a dramatic start to Day 1 at the Evian Resort Golf Club as Taiwanese amateur Wu Chun-wei and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff aced the par-three fifth and 16th holes respectively.

Wu finished on even par, but Shadoff faded off and was among a group of players who carded 75.

Singapore’s Major debutante Shannon Tan was in that group, after mixing three birdies with four bogeys and a triple bogey. AFP