“I actually felt pretty good over the putter” - Rory Mcllroy reflects on ‘pretty average’ first round at the Irish Open

Rory Mcllroy has opened up about his performance on Day 1 of the Horizon Irish Open. It was a candid admission of a less-than-stellar start. Despite facing challenges, Mcllroy managed to salvage his first round at the K Club.

Mcllroy, who hadn't spent much time practicing following the Tour Championship, described his first round as pretty average. However, the Irish golfer finished the day with two consecutive birdies, closing for a 3-under 69, positioning himself just three shots behind the early leaders. It was a flourish at the finish that turned what he referred to as a mediocre day into a more promising one.

Despite not feeling entirely in his element, he did find solace in his putting, which he felt surprisingly good about.

“I think the two birdies in the last two holes sort of glossed over what was a pretty average day. Didn't really feel great with anything. In fairness, I actually felt pretty good over the putter which is nice," said Rory Mcllroy via Irish Examiner.

The day was not without its struggles for Mcllroy. He found himself dealing with water hazards on the seventh hole. Despite these setbacks, Mcllroy's excellent finale, coupled with earlier birdies on the 11th, 18th, and fourth holes, showcased his ability to navigate the course effectively.

“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. Managed my game well and scraped it around in 3-under which is nice and sort of gets me in the tournament," added Mcllroy.

Rory Mcllroy's journey to the Irish Open was marked by back spasms that started just days before the PGA Tour's season finale. Undeterred, he battled through the ailment and secured a fourth-place finish at East Lake. In the week and a half leading up to the Irish Open, his focus was primarily on maintaining his fitness, which limited his practice time.

“I think (I’m) satisfied with how I finished but probably not satisfied with how I played overall. A bit of a struggle out there for me most of the round. Birdied the last couple and I sort of scraped it around and managed my game okay, but yeah, just limited time to practise and prepare coming into this week,” he stated.

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"I have not been able to hit a ton of balls" - Rory Mcllroy highlights his lack of preparation due to injury

Rory Mcllroy plays a shot at the Horizon Irish Open - Day One (Image via Getty)

Rory Mcllroy further emphasized on his lack of game practice in terms of strategy and precision. He faced a back injury ahead of the Tour Championship and almost withdrew from the tournament.

While he is not yet at full fitness, he has asserted that his back was not a limiting factor during his performance at the Irish Open. Instead, he underscored the impact it had on his preparation.

“It's more that I have not been able to hit a ton of balls. I'm hitting good shots but as you know it's all about knowing your patterns and where you're missing it and where to aim and where not to aim and just a little unsure over a couple shots but again overall I managed myself well today and got it around,” highlighted Rory Mcllroy.