Rory McIlroy tames tough conditions to make solid start at Irish Open
Rory McIlroy managed to maintain a degree of control in tough, windy conditions at the Amgen Irish Open to sit three shots off the lead through nine holes on Thursday.
Gusts up to 35mph saw balls oscillating on greens – Frenchman Frederic Lacroix had his blown off the putting surface at the 13th but he had fortunately already marked so was able to replace it – and that made for slow going at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg.
Long waits on many tee boxes were commonplace, but McIlroy started with two birdies in his first four holes before getting to the turn in a two-under 34 – in three-and-a-half hours.
After missing a four-foot birdie chance at the first he holed a 14-footer at the second, splashed out of a bunker to three feet at the par-five fourth for his second birdie but missed from 10ft at the seventh for a third.
As the day wore on Chilean Joaquin Niemann’s course-record 65 looked increasingly good.
Having reached the turn at two under, he had four successive birdies from the 14th to put him in contention for a 30,000 US dollar (£22,000) bonus for the lowest round of the week.
That was under threat from Rafa Cabrera Bello, who was four under through 13 holes, and Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed, who carded four birdies in first eight holes.