PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — At Royal Portrush, the challenge of the Open Championship begins immediately. The first hole, a 425-yard corridor flanked by out-of-bounds stakes, presents a formidable psychological and technical test before a player’s round can truly begin.
Its reputation was amplified by Rory McIlroy’s infamous opening shot in 2019, which went left out-of-bounds and led to a quadruple-bogey 8. The memory of that moment hung in the air Thursday as McIlroy stepped onto the tee. Watched by a silent, 20-deep gallery, he took a driving iron and sent his ball on a low, leftward trajectory that, this time, stayed in play. A subsequent bogey was met with a spectator’s concise summary: “Better than last time.”
“I felt like I dealt with it really well today. Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago,” McIlroy said. “I was just happy to get off to a good start and get myself into the tournament.”
McIlroy’s past struggles have made the tee shot a source of anxiety for his peers. “I think Rory’s made that tee shot a lot scarier,” said fellow Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin. “That’s all I could probably think about for the last three days. I was a little bit nervous and a little bit scared of hitting that shot.”
The pressure is universal. Padraig Harrington, tasked with hitting the tournament’s first shot at 6:35 a.m., admitted to having “plenty of second thoughts” about accepting the honor. He prepared by hitting approximately 40 3-irons on the range to acclimate to the wind and was rewarded with a birdie.
Even Shane Lowry, a past champion here, felt the nerves. “The first tee shot wasn’t that easy,” Lowry said. “I wasn’t feeling very comfortable there.”
On Thursday, the first hole played as the fifth-hardest on the course with a scoring average of 4.295. Its 70-yard-wide fairway felt much narrower, as evidenced by the fact that only 55% of the field managed to hit it. The challenge is multi-faceted: tall grandstands can mask the wind, and strategically placed bunkers at 275 and 290 yards demand a precise strategy.
“It’s playing so tough,” said Thomas Detry. “The wind, you somehow don’t feel the right wind but it’s in off the right. You have to take on the tee shot.”
Finding the fairway is paramount. The uphill approach is to an elevated, firm green that repels shots from the thick fescue. “You’ve got to thread it,” explained Jason Day. “Once you’re in the rough, it’s very difficult to control the ball. The greens are so firm, so it’s hard to get the correct distance.”
Birdies were scarce, with only 12 recorded on Thursday compared to over four times as many bogeys or worse. Club selection varied widely as players battled conditions. Lowry opted for his driver, explaining, “I was like, biggest head in the bag, give it a rip. Thankfully it went straight.” Matt Wallace, playing in the day’s worst weather, chose a mini driver to navigate the wind and rain. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler used a fairway wood but still missed left, scrambling to make par.
While other holes on the course may be equally or more vexing, the first presents a unique mental hurdle. Conquering it can be a signal of a player’s confidence and preparedness for the week ahead.
“I’m happy that round of golf is over with,” Lowry said, expressing a common sentiment.
However, the hole’s challenge is far from finished. As Matteo Manassero noted, the test could intensify. “Today was not even that hard of a pin,” he warned. “It can play even harder.”
Source link
