Rory McIlroy Leads British Open With Record Round

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- Thursday morning at the British Open, St. Andrews -- you may have heard, it's the birthplace of golf -- was buzzing as first-round play began. The sky was gum-gray and the air, so damp you could almost wring the water out of it, hung eerily still.

"You're never going to get St. Andrews playing any easier," said Rory McIlroy.

The Scottish weather, famous for being unpredictable, gave opening day a break. Forecasts for continued rain that soaked the Old Course on Wednesday, along with howling winds, turned out to be greatly exaggerated -- or at least a bit premature as the foul weather moved in late.

Predictions of McIlroy's future success apparently are much more on target. The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland -- practically a local -- has been a looming star since a stellar amateur career followed by a victory at the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic at 19. Now he's positioned to make the transition official.

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All McIlroy did Thursday was begin the Open Championship with a 9-under 63, the best opening round in the tournament's 150-year history, which also matched the lowest score ever posted in major championship play. It put him two shots in front of South African Louis Oosthuizen and three clear of a group that includes American John Daly.

Tiger Woods is four back, among the players who shot 67.



Share "I definitely thought that we needed to take advantage of the conditions and of the golf course," McIlroy said. "Obviously, there had been a lot of rain over the past couple of days, and you know, going out there in the morning with no wind. You know, I'm very happy that I was able to take advantage of the conditions."

McIlroy, young and fearless, plays golf like an attack dog off leash. Even countryman Graeme McDowell, last month's winner of the U.S. Open, has cautioned his young friend to be "less gung-ho." But when all systems are go, he can border on frighteningly good.

Like on Thursday, when he blitzed the Old Course with seven birdies and an eagle. McIlroy was only 1-under through eight holes but caught fire with eagle at the par-4, 352-yard ninth hole and a back-nine 30.

"You're just trying to go lower and lower ... Just trying to make birdies, I suppose, and nothing else really comes into your mind.""
-- Rory McIlroy "You're just trying to go lower and lower, no sort of negative thoughts come into your head at all," he said. "That's the only way I can describe it, just trying to make birdies, I suppose, and nothing else really comes into your mind."

McIlroy made it sound simple. Sort of like his explanation for the eagle that ignited the round.

"I hit a driver off the tee to 15 feet and just holed a putt straight up the hill," he explained.

There's no question the youngster can go low. Earlier this year, he shot a final-round, 10-under 62 to win his first PGA Tour title by four shots over Phil Mickelson. At age 16, he carded a 61 in a North of Ireland Amateur Open played at Royal Portrush.

He would like you to believe that his 16-year-old feat was the best round of golf he ever played.

"I think this is probably the most special, just because it's at St. Andrews and it's the Open Championship," he said. "But I think the 61 was probably slightly better, if I'm honest."

By any grading curve, Thursday drew attention.

"Yeah, 63 at St. Andrews, he's capable of just about anything," said playing partner Lucas Glover, who shot 67.

"A fantastic score," offered Padraig Harrington. "Puts him in great position for the next three days. If he plays average the next two days, he'll still have a chance on Sunday."

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Mick Elliott at St. Andrews

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• No Better Than St. Andrews That's even after McIlroy let one get away -- a short birdie putt at the difficult 17th that lipped out.

"It sort of went through my mind on 17 that 62 would have been the lowest round in a major," he said. "That's probably why I missed the putt.

"Definitely the one on 17 was one I let get away, but it was still a fantastic score."

Of course, McIlroy's task now is to not flame out. With 54 holes remaining to play and the weather still threatening, he certainly has plenty of time. All the same, he has a pretty good thing going on the world's most famous course.

He now has played nine tournament rounds of golf at St. Andrews. All of them have been in the 60s, including a low of 65 before Thursday's 63.

"It's a pretty impressive round, no doubt," Woods said from four shots back. "Rory kept it going. Even when the wind started picking up.

"Obviously, he's got a long way to go. But he knows know to win golf tournaments and he'll be fine."
Most likely, well into the future.