Rory McIlroy fought through a day of relentless, gusty conditions at the Amgen Irish Open and emerged four shots behind the clubhouse leader after posting a one‑under‑par 69 in the opening round. Ireland’s own Shane Lowry, who was a two‑stroke contender early on, remained within striking distance, sitting just two shots off the top of the leaderboard. The wind on Thursday was anything but forgiving, with gusts reaching as high as 35 miles per hour.
Such force caused balls to bounce and roll unpredictably on the greens, a problem that was vividly illustrated when Frenchman Frédéric Lacroix saw his ball literally blown off the putting surface at the 13th hole. Fortunately, Lacroix had already marked his ball, allowing him to replace it without penalty, but the incident underscored how the weather was turning the course into a true test of skill and composure. These conditions made progress slow for the entire field at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg.
As the day wore on, the tournament’s most impressive round came from Chile’s Joaquín Niemann, who carded a course‑record 65. Niemann’s round was built on a strong start—he was two under par at the turn—and he then delivered four consecutive birdies from the 14th hole onward. His spectacular finish not only vaulted him into contention for the top spot but also placed him in the running for the $30,000 (£22,000) bonus awarded for the lowest round of the week. Other players also showed promise early on.
Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner and Italy’s Renato Paratore each posted impressive scores through the first dozen holes, standing at three under par after 12 and 11 holes respectively. Their momentum, however, was threatened by the fading daylight, which could have forced a premature end to their rounds.
Home favorite Shane Lowry, who famously captured the Irish Open title as a 22‑year‑old amateur back in Baltray, kept his hopes alive by also finishing the day at three under par. Lowry’s steady play reminded spectators why he remains a fan favourite on Irish soil.
Long waits at many tee boxes were a common complaint throughout the field, but McIlroy managed to stay patient and productive. The world number two, who had won the event at the K Club the previous year, opened his round with two birdies in his first four holes, propelling him to a two‑under‑par 34 at the turn. He completed his front nine in just three and a half hours, a respectable pace given the challenging conditions. McIlroy’s early birdies came from a mix of skill and opportunism.
After missing a short four‑foot birdie putt on the first hole, he bounced back by holing a 14‑footer on the second. He then escaped a bunker on the fourth hole and sank a three‑foot putt for his second birdie of the round. A missed 10‑foot putt on the seventh prevented a third birdie, but his resilience kept him in contention.
Trouble struck on the 13th when McIlroy’s ball landed in a fairway bunker. A missed 10‑foot putt from there resulted in a double‑bogey, the only major blemish on an otherwise solid card.
He quickly recovered, however, by hitting an excellent approach on the 15th that helped him claw back a stroke. In the closing holes, opportunities were scarce.
McIlroy narrowly missed a long birdie attempt on the 18th, leaving him with a final score that fell short of the leaderboard’s leading four‑stroke gap. He will head into Friday’s round hoping for calmer weather and a chance to climb the standings. When asked about his performance, McIlroy highlighted the dual challenges of wind and pace of play.
"There were a couple of things that were tough today. Obviously the wind and the strength of the wind was one thing, and then the pace of play," he said.
He added that the course layout made it difficult to find a rhythm, especially in the first two days when the field is large and there are many stops and starts. "It's hard when you are playing a round of golf and it takes six hours, it's hard to get into the rhythm of things, but I felt like I did a good job," McIlroy continued. Reflecting on his double‑bogey on the 13th, he explained, "After making the double bogey on 13, I was just trying to get those two shots back by the end of the day.
Didn't quite do that, but finishing under par for the day was a reasonable effort." He concluded on an optimistic note, "I hung in there, shot under par, and at least don't feel like I'm out of the tournament. A good day tomorrow gets me right back in it." Other notable performances included Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, who played alongside European team captain Luke Donald and Alex Fitzpatrick, finishing at two under after a bogey on the final hole. McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammate Robert MacIntyre posted a two‑over‑par round; he had made a spectacular 37‑foot birdie putt on the 17th but was punished by a poor tee shot on the 18th that landed deep in the rough, resulting in a six.
Brooks Koepka, who received a special invitation to the tournament, endured a difficult day, opening with a seven on the first hole and ultimately finishing five over par. Meanwhile, Jon Rahm, whose future on the PGA Tour remains uncertain amid the ongoing LIV Golf debate, recorded an even‑par round. Looking ahead, the tournament will continue with two live coverage sessions on Friday.
The morning round begins at 9:30 a.m. on Sky Sports+, followed by an afternoon session starting at 5 p.m. Golf fans can also explore the latest Sky Sports offers or stream the action without a contract on NOW.
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