McIlroy hopes to end on a high as the big guns misfire early on

Rory begins Open bid with a bogey but he’s not the only one struggling in pouring rain

- Simon Collings

UNDER grey skies and in the pouring rain, Rory McIlroy this morning kicked off his quest to win The Open.

Just a month after his round collapsed at Pinehurst to lose the US Open, all eyes were on McIlroy to see if this was the start of a comeback or another painful chapter in the 35-year-old’s pursuit of a first Major since 2014.

McIlroy has cut a buoyant figure since arriving in Scotland last week and he finished fourth in the Scottish Open, but he was subdued after a difficult first hole at Royal Troon.

He made a bogey on the first after leaving his approach short of the green. McIlroy chipped on, but he was unable to make a putt for par.

It was nothing like the short putts that cost McIlroy the US Open last month, this one a testy 12-footer, but he has spoken of the need to get his putter firing this week.

“If I can get the putter to co-operate and get the speed of the greens down...I feel like I’ll be in a really good spot [for the Open],” he said.

“The one thing I’ve done a really good job of in the majors is I’ve been willing to have my heart be broken because I’ve put myself out there.