The Open day 2 - McIlroy battles to make the cut

Rory McIlroy has it all to do if he's to make the weekend at the Open Championship at Portrush.

McIlroy had a nightmare first round, making a quadruple bogey on the opening hole and a triple bogey on 18 to leave on 8 over par, 13 shots behind the overnight leader JB Holmes.

The 30 year old goes out at 3.10pm, and is confident he has what it takes to make the cut.

"If I can put the ball on the fairways I can shoot a good enough score to be around for the weekend.

"Anyone shooting a 79 at this golf tournament doesn't think about winning at this point. But I think I can go out there and shoot something in the mid 60s, be around for the weekend, and then try to play good from there."

A 67 yesterdays sees Shane Lowry one off the pace on four under par. The Offaly native is out just before 1pm and isn't getting carried away. 

"I was quite anxious going out there, I didn't know what it [the course] was going to throw at me. The wind was up early, but the first few holes played OK, and I got off to a nice solid start. I played some good golf, but I missed a couple of chance coming in. I got a good up and down on 16, a great break on 17 when I managed to make par, a nice up and down on the last. 

"It was the most nervous I've ever been on a first tee. But nerves are a good thing, aren't they? It's where you want to be. I just hope I'm nervous on Sunday afternoon up there. That's right where you want to be and you have to tell yourself that when you're up there - would you rather be here or at home watching it on TV?"

Round 1 by the numbers – @ShaneLowryGolf 🏌️‍♂️

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2019

Tiger Woods' hopes of winning a sixteenth major are all but over after his worst ever opening round at the Open Championship.

The American is seven over par - 12 shots behind Holmes, and says he felt physically restricted during his round. 

"I'm just not moving as well as I'd like. You got to be able to move, especially under these conditions, to shape the golf ball. And I didn't do it. I didn't shape the ball. Everything was left to right, and I wasn't hitting it very solidly.

"It's just Father Time, and some procedures I've had over time. It's just the way it's going to be. One of the reasons I'm playing less tournaments is because I can hopefully prolong my career, and be out here for a little bit longer."

Elsewhere Mallow's James Sugrue had an excellent opening round, the British Amateur Champion carding a level par round of 71