Rory McIlroy’s Late Bogeys Cost Him at Irish Open
Late rounds can break even the strongest contenders and Rory Mroyy’s opening round at the Amjen Irish Open was a perfect example of this tough reality. Starting Thursday at the K Club in Kildair, Ireland, Mroy showed flashes of potential but ultimately slipped back due to consecutive bogeies toward the end of his round. Mroy finished his first round at one under 71, positioning himself five strokes behind the front runner Nacho Elvera, who set an early brisk pace. Reflecting on his performance, Mroy shared, “I’m actually quite encouraged with how I played today. The main challenge was my ability to convert scoring opportunities, which didn’t quite meet my expectations. My overall game felt solid, especially off the tea, which seemed to carry over from my play at East Lake a few weeks ago. It really comes down to being sharper with scoring. Not far ahead in the group order was Shane Lowry, who managed an impressive 69, fueled by a new driver he’s been eager to trust. I’ve had trouble connecting with my driver this year, but today felt good, Lowry said, highlighting his four birdies and just one bogey. Brooks Kepker also made an entrance to the tournament, mirroring Mroyy’s one underpass score in his debut here. On the other end of the spectrum, Thristan Lawrence, fresh off a triumph at last week’s Omega European Masters, struggled mightily with an 81, landing him at the bottom of the scoreboard during this early phase. Mroy started his round amidst light drizzles and enthusiastic home fans. His play sparked excitement early on with birdies on holes 11 and 13, his second and fourth for the day. A bogey at the 15th briefly paused his momentum, but he bounced back with birdies on both par fives at the 16th and 18th, leaving him three under after the front nine. This strong position came on a course where he famously claimed his only Irish Open title back in 2016. However, the back nine proved challenging. After trading a bogey on the second hole, his 11th overall for a birdie at the fourth, Mroy steadily lost ground. He missed a critical 8-ft putt to save par on the seventh. Mishit his shot long on the par 38 eighth and failed to recover successfully, then narrowly missed an 11 ft birdie attempt on the ninth hole. Discussing the finer details, Mroy admitted, “My ball striking felt pretty consistent today, and around the greens, I was mostly solid. The problem was missing a couple of T mid-range pups near the end, including at the last hole for Birdie. I felt the strokes were decent, but I was just a little off on the edges, which made all the difference. But here’s where it gets controversial. Mroyy’s struggle to close out rounds despite strong tea shots begs the question, are the most talented players often their own worst enemies when it comes to handling pressure during those critical final holes? This could spark debate among fans and analysts alike. For those eager to catch more, round one coverage continues on the Golf Channel starting at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time. As the tournament unfolds, it will be fascinating to watch if Mroy can sharpen his finishing touch and reclaim the form that once crowned him champion on this very course. What do you think? Is Mroyy’s late round scoring inconsistency a sign of mental herbles or just the natural challenges of elite competition? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
