Adventurous Par at 18th Hole Keeps Rory McIlroy's Spirits Up After Round 1 at British Open

The 2014 champion needed two bunker shots to make par at the last on Thursday. That save that may look very good come Sunday.

HOYLAKE, England — If Rory McIlroy is in the hunt on Sunday for his second Claret Jug, you can easily point to the second shot out of the greenside bunker on the 18th hole in Thursday’s first round as the reason why.

On a day where McIlroy struggled early and clawed his way back to even par with consecutive birdies on the par-4 14th and par-5 15th, the world No. 2 (No. 2 SI World Golf Rankings) came to the tee at the last hole five shots off the lead at 5 under held by amateur Christo Lamprecht, Tommy Fleetwood and Emiliano Grillo.

“I didn't really get it going on the front nine, was missing a few putts, and then missed that little one on the 8th hole,” McIlroy said, referencing a two-footer that hit the hole and came back to him. “Had a good chance to sort of get it back at 9 and hit a good putt, but I just didn't read it right.”

With the 18th playing as a feast-or-famine hole, with internal out of bounds right and reachable both off the tee and on the second shot, McIlroy made the prudent decision and used an iron off the tee, leaving himself some 281 yards to the flag.

Sitting in the middle of the fairway, McIlroy used an iron again and found the greenside bunker left.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t go for the putting surface with the ball up against the stacked-sod face and when he tried to go out sideways, he left the ball in the bunker. McIlroy was then left in another precarious situation where he had to straddle the bunker with one leg in and one leg out, and short-sided.

Clearly bound and determined to hit the shot on the green, McIlroy didn’t even stop when caddie Harry Diamond approached to see if he needed another club.

Could this be a pivotal moment? 

The challenge and drama of links golf. Encapsulated by @McIlroyRory. pic.twitter.com/KqZHhIm9ZP

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2023

The ball barely cleared the lip then slowly rolled down past the flag, leaving McIlroy a 10-footer for par which he would drain. He then gave a fist pump, expelling all the frustration of the 18th hole.

“I wouldn't have been too happy walking off the 18th with a bogey, especially after the two shots I hit in there,” McIlroy said. “It's just when you hit it into these bunkers you're sort of riding your luck at that point and hoping it's not up against one of those revetted faces. Jon (Rahm) and I didn't have much of a shot with our thirds, so then you're just hoping to make par somehow and get out of there.”

A winner at Royal Liverpool in 2014, the Ulsterman is playing in his 14th Open and has never been in contention on Sunday when he has been outside the top 20 in Thursday’s first round. He currently sits T32.

His even-par 70 on Thursday is only the sixth time he hasn’t broken 70 in the first round.

McIlroy, Rahm and Justin Rose will start off at 9:58 a.m. local time (4:58 a.m. ET) Friday with hopes that the winds forecast at 5-15 mph are consistent and the potential gusts of 25 mph are left for the afternoon.

“Two over through 12, to walk off in even par, I think knowing that I had a couple of tough holes coming up, but obviously the two par 5s as well, I think walking to the 13th tee I probably would have taken even par to finish the day,” McIlroy said. “That's exactly where I ended up. I needed to stay patient out there.

"It wasn't the easiest of days, but I'm still right in there. Just go out there in the morning, shoot something in the 60s, and I'll hopefully be right in the mix.”