The Open: Rory McIlroy turns focus to making major cut after shocking opening round at Royal Troon

Rory McIlroy's dream of winning a major championship has turned into a struggle to stay in the tournament after a terrible start at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

McIlroy hoped to break his ten-year streak without winning a major tournament. He had lost a lead at the US Open last month and finished in second place. Unfortunately, his chances took a hit after a disappointing first round in the current tournament.

The golfer who used to be ranked as the best in the world only managed to score one birdie in the rainy and windy weather on Thursday morning. McIlroy lost five shots in just four holes during the middle of his round and also had two bogeys in the last four holes, resulting in a score of seven over par for the day.

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"It was a tough day," admitted McIlroy. "I thought I played decently in the beginning of the round. Even though I was a few shots over after nine holes, I still had hope that I could make up for it and maybe finish the day at even par."

I was really shocked by how challenging I found the last half of the course. I expected it to be easier. The course was really tough. The weather conditions were very hard with a strong wind that we hadn't experienced yet this week.

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It was just a tough day where I struggled to adjust to the conditions. I found that any mistake I made was really costly this week, whether it was hitting a ball into a fairway bunker or the rough.

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What Caused McIlroy's Downfall?

During the round, McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, and Max Homa played together. McIlroy started off by missing the first green and was unable to save par. However, he quickly recovered by making a birdie on the third hole from a four-foot putt. Despite not taking advantage of the par-five holes on the front nine, McIlroy continued to push through the round.

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The golfer from Northern Ireland needed two tries to get out of a sand trap near the green, resulting in a score of five over par on the famous 'Postage Stamp' hole. This put him at 37 for the front nine. McIlroy then started the back nine with a bogey before hitting his tee shot on the next hole towards the railway track.

He ended up getting a score of two over par, putting him five shots behind the current leader Justin Thomas. McIlroy had to work hard to make par in the following hole, sinking a 10-foot putt on the 14th to avoid falling even further behind.

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McIlroy made a mistake on the 15th hole by finishing in a fairway bunker and only managed to par the next hole, a par-five, after hitting a wayward second shot. He then made an impressive sand save on the par-three 17th hole before ending with a bogey on the last hole.

When inquired about his plans, McIlroy replied: "I just have to improve my game and aim to make it to the weekend. It seems like the weather will be similar tomorrow."

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I really need to step up my game in challenging conditions and aim to shoot below par to make it to the weekend. I want to climb up the leaderboard and give myself a better chance at success.

Current US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau faced difficulties in the challenging conditions, to the point where he considered leaving the course and going home. However, he managed to salvage a five-over 76 in the end.

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"I'm really pleased with how I kept going today," DeChambeau said. "Geez, I could have given up after nine holes and said, 'I'm done for the day'. This course is tough. It's a challenge that I'm not used to."

I didn't play golf when I was younger, but that's not why I placed eighth at St Andrews two years ago. I perform better in warm, calm conditions. However, I still have a chance tomorrow and I'm looking forward to the challenge. If I can sink some putts, hit my shots well, and get used to my equipment, I should do well.

Who will be crowned the champion of The 152nd Open? Tune in to Sky Sports for full coverage this week. The action continues on Friday starting at 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf. Don't miss out on streaming The Open and other exciting sports with NOW.

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