Ian Mallon: The real Rory McIlroy belatedly steps up after nightmare start

The scenes on McIlroy’s final hole and a second birdie in a row were astonishing

WATCHING BRIEF: The crowd looks on as Rory McIlroy chips onto the 10th green on day one of the Irish Open.  Picture: Inpho/Ben Brady

For a player whose relationship with the Irish Open can be as inconsistent as some of his driving was at the K Club on Thursday, there’s no doubting just how vital Rory McIlroy is to this championship.

You only have to take in the sheer size of the crowds which followed him from early morning, around this magnificently set-up course, to appreciate the value he brings to this tournament — and this was only day one.

The scenes, in humid sunshine, on McIlroy’s final hole and a second birdie in a row — for a 3 under 69 — were astonishing as perhaps 2,000 people gathered along the fairway and green to the welcome the world number two home.

They were up to eight deep around the green as McIlroy arrived and finished a job he knows he was lucky to get away with, and one which started off in such jeopardy.

If he keeps this up, God only knows what Sunday will be like.

Much will depend on what happens Friday after an opening round of golf which the man himself described as “pretty average” and even “rusty”.

To be truthful, Rory was plain awful at times, as drive after drive went right and failed to draw back landing him in a world of pain compliments of some of the thickest rough in Irish Open history.

You cannot even say that the drives were inconsistent, they consistently went to the right, costing the 34-year-old at least five shots on his journey around the course.

At least McIlroy’s short game and putting was excellent, particularly on his five birdie-making holes.

Mercifully for the Hollywood golfer, the bogey’s only numbered two, with the first one coming straight out of the blocks as he drove right, landing plugged in a ground under repair, taking a free drop, before shooting from the recovered shot into sand.

Try as he might McIlroy couldn’t straighten his driving throughout the morning, forcing matters to spill over on his 10th hole and the K Club’s famous first.

Seventeen years to the month when Tiger Woods cut his opening drive at the 2006 Ryder Cup left into the lake, Rory took the opposite approach on Thursday, hitting a timid 256-yard drive into the trees and the rough to the right.

The shot was met with a boom as McIlroy took his frustration out on a Horizon emblazoned tee box marker, with the bang sounding a turmoil which had been building.

Somehow he scrambled a par with a beautiful stinger out of the trees and onto the green.

The Northern Irishman was joined by Billy Horschel who was greeted regularly by ‘C’mon the Irons’ by fans in appreciation of the American’s West Ham emblazoned bag.

The most fascinating watch was the performance and demeanour of Adrian Meronk, the rising star of European golf, but one who was ultimately left behind by Luke Donald when he decided on his Ryder Cup picks this week.

The Polish player cut a disappointed and angry figure with the press this week, but watching the tall, yet powerful ball striker play, you just hope Donald has made the right choice as Meronk went around in 3 under.

He even opened the day with two birdies, three in his first six holes, and looks as good, if not better than when he won last year’s Irish Open at Mount Juliet.

But this was the Rory show and nobody else.

Even the cheer which greeted Shane Lowry’s birdie on his 17th hole couldn’t take the attention away from Rory and the late drama.

McIlroy’s race looked run when he hit the water on his 16th hole, taking a drop and finishing with a bogey to set up what you feared would be disappointing final two holes.

Twenty minutes, or five shots later, McIlroy took in the adulation of the crowds after what was truly an epic birdie-birdie ending.

His 350-yard drive on the final hole was a stunning recovery from a day of wayward shooting while his second shot, a beautiful pitch to within two feet of the pin from 120 yards, was outrageous.

This left the simpliest of two-foot putts to crown what had been an inglorious round of golf.

The frustration had evaporated and the most recognisable version of Rory was there for all to see, with some purpose in place ahead of day two, after what he said would be some much-needed work on the range.

“I think the two birdies in the last two holes sort of glossed over what was a pretty average day,” he said after.

“’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.

“I managed my game well and scraped it around in 3-under which is nice and sort of gets me in the tournament.”