Rory McIlroy Shoots 68, Trails Leader Clements by Two Shots

Rory McIlroy finished the opening round of the Irish Open with a hat-trick of birdies, carding a three-under 68 and placing just two shots behind the leader. Competing at home for the first time since 2019, McIlroy mixed six birdies with three bogeys amid challenging crosswinds at Royal County Down. His strong finish keeps him within striking distance of English leader Todd Clements, who made an eagle on the par-five 18th to lead by one shot over Finland’s Sami Valimaki and Spain’s Alejandro Del Rey.

McIlroy, ranked third in the world was the top-performing Irish player, while Shane Lowry shot a one-over 72 and Tom McKibbin struggled with a 74. McIlroy expressed satisfaction with his round, given the tough conditions. He acknowledged past difficulties with home crowds, recalling missed cuts in previous events held in Northern Ireland. Despite some mid-round wobble, McIlroy recovered well particularly with a series of birdies towards the end of his round.

The 35-year-old began his round with a birdie at the opening par-five and later managed to save par with a crucial up-and-down at the par-three fourth. After a rough patch with bogeys at 14 and 15, he regained momentum with three consecutive birdies to close his round. Tom McKibbin, who also faced challenges managed to match Rory McIlroy’s birdies at 17 and 18 but found himself eight shots behind after a tough opening.

Lowry’s birdie on the final hole kept him six shots off the lead. Other notable performances include Dan Brown and Soren Kjeldsen at two-under while 17-year-old Sean Keeling impressed with a bogey-free 70. Defending champion Vincent Norrman had a rough day, carding a 75 after a disastrous nine on the par-five 12th.