Mixed emotions for Rory McIlroy after up-and-down opening round

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Rory McIlroy felt both positive and negative after recording a score of one-under-par 71 on the first day of The Masters, which was heavily affected by strong winds.

McIlroy played well in the first round by achieving four birdies and three bogeys, which is his best start since 2018. However, he finished the day trailing behind Scottie Scheffler by five shots and Bryson DeChambeau by six shots.

McIlroy expressed his satisfaction with his performance, acknowledging that it was better compared to his previous play. However, he believed that he could have done even better, possibly making two or three more impressive moves. This year marks McIlroy's tenth effort to secure the coveted green jacket and attain the career grand slam.

In my opinion, despite the sluggish beginning, I managed to make some birdies while playing around the middle section. However, towards the ending, I was a bit careless and missed some opportunities to score. There was a prime opportunity to make a birdie on the 15th hole when I was in the middle of the fairway, but I couldn't convert it.

I didn't hit a short put on the 16th hole and then I got a bogey on the 17th. However, my overall score is still good, and there's still a lot more golf to be played.

I still have a chance in the tournament and I won't be trying too hard tomorrow. I will be playing alongside Scottie so I can observe his gameplay and I am excited to hit the course again.

When you observe Scottie in comparison to the other players, the number of rounds he completes without making a bogey is remarkable, which is the key to emerging victorious in major tournaments.

Today, I had three instances where I took more strokes to complete a hole than is optimal, but considering the current circumstances, it is still acceptable. However, I understand the need to improve my game a bit in order to keep pace with my competitor.