McIlroy plays it cool after steady start

CONSIDERING he got the worst of the day’s weather, there was plenty for Rory McIlroy to be satisfied about from his opening round of 71 at Royal St George’s yesterday.

Six strokes off the lead after the first 18 holes of the British Open, with 54 more to go, the US Open champion will not be too downcast about the unusual experience for him this year of not leading a major after the first round.

That was the situation for McIlroy on the Thursday evening at the Masters and US Open but the 22-year-old, with the golfing world at his feet following his Congressional Country Club success last month, was far from disappointed at the change in circumstance.