Australian Open: Rory McIlroy makes ‘roller coaster’ start as Ryan Fox among early leaders at windy Royal Melbourne
Rory McIlroy experienced a self-described “roller coaster” as he slipped seven strokes off the lead after the opening round of the Crown Australian Open.
McIlroy – making his first appearance since securing the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai for a seventh time – mixed five birdies with six bogeys during a one-over 72 at Royal Melbourne.
The Masters champion was among the early starters in windy conditions, where gusts reached close to 40 miles per hour at times, with McIlroy seeing an opening-hole birdie cancelled out with back-to-back bogeys over his next two holes.
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Take a look back at how Rory McIlroy won the Stonehaven Cup with a thrilling victory in 2013
McIlroy dropped a shot at the par-three 16th and opened his second nine with a bogey at the first, then saw successive birdies from the second undone by dropped shots at the fourth and par-three seventh.
“It was a roller coaster day,” McIlroy said. “Every time I got a birdie or two, I got a bogey or two. It wasn’t terrible. I hit it in a couple of bad spots and had a couple of three-putts as well.
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A look back at Rory McIlroy’s opening-round 72 at Royal Melbourne
“I limited the damage but I hope the conditions are better tomorrow.”
Elvis Smylie – the left-handed Australian who won last year’s Australian PGA Championship – was the pick of the morning starters after an opening-round 65, before Carlos Ortiz and Ryan Fox later made it a three-way tie for the early lead.
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Rory McIlroy reflects on a ‘roller coaster’ opening round at the Crown Australian Open
Ortiz made five birdies on his front nine and eagled the penultimate hole after his opening-round 65, while Fox mixed eight birdies with two bogeys to also get to six under.
Scotland’s Cameron Adam is two strokes back in tied-fourth alongside Frenchman Clement Charmasson and Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, while Eddie Pepperell sits three strokes back after an opening-round 68.
Australia’s Cameron Smith bogeyed two of his final three holes for a one-under 70, with with Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott – both playing alongside McIlroy the first two days – also four shots behind the early leaders.
Adam Scott of Australia and Min Woo Lee shot 69 (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
“I feel like I did pretty good today, made all the putts I was supposed to make and I probably left a couple out there, but it is what it is,” Smith said.
The winner of the Australian Open – which is the second event on the DP World Tour season – receives a Masters exemption next year, while the top three finishers not already exempt will qualify for The Open.
Who will win the Crown Australian Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 2.30am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more with no contract.
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