23 July, 2017
"We didn't really experience anything like that here".
The 23-year-old former U.S. Masters and U.S. Open victor carded a bogey-free round in tricky, but not treacherous, conditions. Apparently sick of losing ground, he tidied up his front nine with three consecutive pars, then made his first birdie of the day on 11. The ovation he received from the gallery on the final green was truly special. It would be a thrill if this continued through the weekend.
Jordan Spieth, who added a 69 to his opening round 65 and was at 6-under-134. "I just had to turn it around". I made some key up-and-downs on the start of the back nine.
"I couldn't have done much better today". "I am going to try not to let this spoil the week in any way".
The start of McIlroy's opening round was a continuation of that flat form. McIlroy and Woodland were set to tee off half an hour earlier. He wasn't robotic or godlike; it felt as if you were watching an affable mortal do incredible things.
"(I've) just got to be patient with myself and understand that it's been a while since I've been in a position to contend other than the Byron Nelson this year. McIlroy gave us Tiger-like thrills, but he could sustain them only in little bursts.
"When we played in that afternoon on Friday I think was the worst stuff I've ever played in", he said.
"It was ideal conditions", Norris said, "so we chose to take it on and play more agressively".
Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy fall into that category.
"Given the forecast coming in, I thought you really needed to be in the red today", he said. And he's never afraid to do that. "I am extremely grateful that my family were not in the house at the time".
It's unusual to think about one of the world's best athletes having self-confidence issues, but that's occasionally been the difference between McIlroy playing great and McIlroy playing mediocre golf.
Phil Mickelson failed to make a birdie, the first time that has happened in a major in five years, and shot 73.
His bunker shot at the par-four 16th to help avoid a bogey was something he was particularly proud of. You'll be hard pressed to find a bolder, or better, play at that hole this week. I would have loved that. It's been a mess of late, and he has cycled through a series of putters the way most people cycle through pairs of socks. And I saw from this morning it wasn't playing easy. "It's not my first chance at a major, but it would be my first Open".
