McIlroy finished strong with two birdies after 'pretty average day'

STRONG FINISH: Rory McIlroy acknowledged a lack of practice was a factor as he carded a first-round 69 made pretty by two closing birdies. . Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Rory McIlroy acknowledged a lack of practice was a factor as he carded a first-round 69 made pretty by two closing birdies.

Not in action since last month’s Tour Championship in Atlanta and nursing a lower back strain, the 34-year-old finished with a flourish to make a mediocre day better on day one of the Irish Open.

“I think the two birdies in the last two holes sort of glossed over what was a pretty average day,” he admitted. “Didn't really feel great with anything. In fairness, I actually felt pretty good over the putter which is nice.

“It's hard to say I'm rusty when I've only had a week off but I just haven't had a chance to practise much and I just hit a few loose shots out there. Managed my game well and scraped it around in 3-under which is nice and sort of gets me in the tournament.

“I think (I’m) satisfied with how I finished but probably not satisfied with how I played overall. A bit of a struggle out there for me most of the round. Birdied the last couple and I sort of scraped it around and managed my game okay, but yeah, just limited time to practise and prepare coming into this week.” 

Like Shane Lowry, McIlroy found water on the seventh before his excellent finale adding to his earlier birdies on the 11th, 18th and fourth.

The World No2 didn’t show too many signs of his back issue causing him discomfort, although on a humid morning he didn’t take off his hoodie until his 10th hole, the first, possibly as a means of keeping the muscles warm.

“It's more that I have not been able to hit a ton of balls,” he explained of the injury. “I'm hitting good shots but as you know it's all about knowing your patterns and where you're missing it and where to aim and where not to aim and just a little unsure over a couple shots but again overall I managed myself well today and got it around.” 

Of the morning starters, former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn held the clubhouse lead with Jordan Smith and Ross Fisher having scored a six-under 66.

Bjorn has been sidelined for the last 10 weeks with an injury – Smith himself hadn’t played for five weeks before Switzerland last week – but the time off didn’t affect the Dane. “I said (to his caddie), ‘Let's try to see if we can break 90, and if I shoot 56 on the back nine to break 90, that would be all right.’ It was that kind of day,” Bjorn smiled.

“I came here, I've got no feelings for the game, and it just shows how silly this game can be. You can work hard for weeks and go out and shoot bad scores. Expectations sometimes gets in the way of professional golf, as I've own, and then you just go out and enjoy yourself, you're just happy to be on the golf course after so long.

“It's just one of those things. No expectations tomorrow and then try and see if we can just go out and put a decent number together and start building from here.”