Mixed emotions for Rory McIlroy after opening 71 at Masters

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Rory McIlroy experienced a range of feelings following his performance on the first day of the 88th Masters, where he shot a 71 with strong gusts of wind affecting his play.

McIlroy had a good start by getting four birdies and three bogeys. This was his best opening round since 2018. However, he ended up being five shots behind his playing partner Scottie Scheffler and six shots behind the leading player Bryson DeChambeau.

McIlroy expressed how he felt about his performance, stating that it was a good beginning compared to his recent plays. However, he believed that it could have been even better by two or three points. This is McIlroy's tenth time competing to win a green jacket and achieve the career grand slam.

In my opinion, even though the start was not very fast, it was positive to make some birdies around the middle of the game. However, towards the end, I feel like I could have done better as I missed the opportunity to make a birdie on the 15th hole despite being in a good position on the fairway.

I failed to hit a short shot on hole 16 and ended up with a bogey on 17. Nonetheless, my overall score isn't too bad, and there's still plenty of golf to be played.

I am still very much in the tournament, and I am not desperate for anything tomorrow. I will be playing alongside Scottie, which gives me the opportunity to monitor his performance. I am excited to return to the course.

When comparing Scottie to other players in golf, it's mind-blowing to see how often he plays rounds without any bogeys. This is a crucial factor in winning big tournaments like majors.

I had three bogeys today, which is acceptable given the current weather conditions. However, I must improve my game a bit to keep pace with my opponent.