The Open: Day Two gets under way
After yesterday's rollercoaster opener, Rory McIlroy gets set for second round
Day two of the Open has begun at Portrush.
The early starters - Stewart Cink, Matteo Manassero and Mark Leishman - teed off at 6.35.
The weather this morning was in stark contrast to yesterday afternoon which saw the course windswept and rain-soaked.
And huge home favourite, Rory McIlroy, looked like delivering the show the thousands who had flocked to Royal Portrush to cheer their returning hero expected, only for his bid for the first-round Open lead to collapse in the space of four holes on the back nine.
The Holywood star rarely comes to these parts due to commitments on the PGA Tour and on his last competitive visit in 2019 went home early after missing the cut.
But, after teeing off at 3.10pm with a four-under-par target in his sights, he recovered from a bogey at the first - a three-shot improvement on six years ago when he went out of bounds - to have a crowd 10 deep in places buzzing in anticipation.
The 61 he shot as a 16-year-old on this course was never on the cards, but three under through 10, having hit just two fairways, raised the prospect of a memorable first day.
But over the course of the next four holes that waywardness off the tee took its toll with three bogeys, including one at the course's easiest hole, the par-five 11th, and only a 12-foot par save at the 15th prevented further damage.
There was a much-needed birdie from similar distance at the penultimate hole, having again gone left off the tee, and even though his 44-footer for a 69 grazed the cup at the 18th, the fans went home happy, with their man just three off the pace.
That was set by McIlroy's Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick, whose 67 was the lowest opening round of his major career, world number 354 Jacob Skov Olesen, China's Li Haotong, South African Chris Bezuidenhout and American Harris English.
"I had it going three under through 10 and let a few slip around the middle of the round. I steadied the ship well and played the last four in one under and it was just nice to finish under par," McIlroy said.
"It was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers."