"I just didn't adapt well enough"- Rory McIlroy left playing catch-up after 'difficult' start at 2024 Open Championship

Rory McIlroy sits tied for 133rd place after an opening round score of seven over par at The 2024 Open Championship. Following his heartbreaking loss at the 2024 US Open, the world number two ranked player was hoping to end his ten-year major drought at Royal Troon. However, he is now likely to miss his first cut of the year.

With only the top 70 players, including ties, making the cut after two rounds, Rory McIlroy, needs an under par score tomorrow to play himself into the cut line. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, the PGA Tour star detailed his shortcomings during the opening round. McIlroy said:

"The course was playing tough. The conditions are very difficult in a wind that we haven't seen so far this week. ... Just one of those days where I just didn't adapt well enough to the conditions. That’s all I can focus on."

Rory McIlroy carded only one birdie during his first round (at the par four third hole). In addition to his bogeys on the first, tenth, fifteenth, and eighteenth hole respectively, the 2014 Open Championship winner also made two double bogeys.

With an opening round score of seven over par 78, McIlroy was taken back to his experience at the 2019 edition of The Open. That year, the 4-time major winner carded a first round score of 79. Despite battling it out the next day, he missed the cut.

McIlroy will begin his second round at The 2024 Open Championship at 3:10 PM local time. He will be playing with Tyrrell Hatton and Max Homa.

Rory McIlroy's recent form explored

Rory McIlroy has played in 15 events on the PGA Tour so far this season. The Irishman has made the cut in all those events and has recorded 13 top-25 finishes, six top-ten finishes, one runner-up finish, and two victories.

The 35-year-old has made a total of $10,353,190 in earnings on the PGA Tour this year to rank third on the Official Money List. Having won back-to-back events earlier this year, here's a look into Rory McIlroy's recent finishes.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - T66
The Genesis Invitational - T24
Cognizant Classic - T21
Arnold Palmer Invitational - T21
The Players Championship - T19
Valero Texas Open - 3
Masters - T22
RBC Heritage - T33
Zurich Classic of New Orleans - 1
Wells Fargo Championship - 1
PGA Championship - T12
RBC Canadian Open - T4
Memorial Tournament - T15
US Open - 2
Genesis Scottish Open - T4

About the author

Lathika is one of the newer additions to Sportskeeda’s budding golf journalism team and has brought plenty of in-game experience to the role. Having been a golfer for over 12 years now, some of her crowning achievements include winning titles on the Indian Golf Union Ladies tour and Junior Girls Amateur tour.

She currently competes in Division 1 golf in Florida, and hopes to play in the U.S. Open and Chevron Championship one day. She is set to cover the 2025 Ryder Cup as well. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management, and holds a Sports Marketing certification from Northwestern University, which helped her learn to draft press releases and ultimately transition into journalism.

Lathika has thus developed a knowledge base that allows her to view golf from both player, spectator and media lenses, enabling her to bring statistics, insights and an understanding of fan emotion together in her copies. She only uses verified information from reliable sources like the PGA TOUR.

Her favorite golfers are Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods, both for their playing style as well as their mental strength. Much of her time away from work is spent playing golf, but she also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and learning new hobbies or upskilling.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl