Little cheer for Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry in Stateside opener

GRANDSTAND VIEW: Rory McIlroy putts on the 16th green surrounded by fans during the first round of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Pic: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry got off to a less than satisfactory starts at the WM Phoenix Open on Thursday. While Seamus Power was on even-par after 10 when darkness halted play.

After a two-hour delay due to frost in Arizona, McIlroy opened his season on the PGA Tour with a two-over-par 73 that left his seven shots behind the early leader Nick Taylor at TPC Scottsdale, which is hosting the first full-field designated event of the year.

McIlroy, starting on the 10th, bogeyed the 1tth before birdies on 15 and 17 got him under par for the day. However, consecutive bogeys on the 18th and 1st (his 10th) pushed him down the leaderboard. Despite a stunning par after nearly driving out of bounds on the 2nd, another bogey on the par-3 7th, left the World No 1 with work to do heading into the second round.

“When you’ve got that 90-degree wind the whole time, if it changes just slightly one way or another, it’s a completely different shot, completely different club, and I got caught out by that a couple of times coming in, which wasn’t ideal,” McIlroy said.

“I actually felt the best swing I made of the day was the par-3, 7th. And hit it 20 yards over the green. Tricky day. Hopefully the wind keeps up this afternoon for the guys out there, and we’ll get back at it.

“I wouldn’t say that this is a golf course that sets up terribly well for me. I struggle off the tee here. I feel like all the fairway bunkers are right in my landing zones. But it’s a challenge, and again, like I’m trying to embrace that challenge.

“Not an event I historically play. But I feel like I’m a good enough player to figure it out and contend and win on any golf course.”

Lowry, who started at the same time as McIlroy but from the 1st tee, had an even more disappointing start. In his first round since the departure of his caddie Bo Martin, the Offaly man bogeyed the 4th, 9th, and 11th to sit at three-over. A birdie on the 15th offered some hope, but Lowry bogeyed the final two holes to leave him on four over at the finish, with work to do to make the cut.