McIlroy four behind Niemann after six-hour Irish Open round

Rory McIlroy shot a one-under-par 69 in the first round of the Irish Open at Doonbeg, County Clare, on Thursday, a round he said may have been the longest of his career, leaving him four shots behind leader Joaquin Niemann of Chile.

What was Rory McIlroy’s score and position?

Rory McIlroy, the world number two, is on one under at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg. The Northern Irishman birdied the second and fourth holes, double-bogeyed the 13th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker, and picked up a shot at the 15th. He sits four shots behind Joaquin Niemann of Chile, the leader on five under.

Why did the first round take more than six hours?

High winds and sporadic showers battered the County Clare links, slowing play throughout Thursday and pushing McIlroy’s opening round past six hours.

“I can’t recall a round of golf that has taken that long before,” McIlroy told BBC Sport NI. “It was tough conditions, very windy, it was hard to get into any sort of rhythm out there.”

McIlroy said he was hitting three or four clubs more than usual into the wind, citing a 138-yard approach to the last green that he played with a full seven iron, a club he said he usually hits 190 yards in warm, dry conditions.

Who leads the Irish Open after day one?

Joaquin Niemann of Chile leads on five under after four consecutive birdies between the 14th and 17th holes. The LIV golfer made six birdies in all with a single dropped shot, taking a two-shot lead over a group of five players on three under that includes Ireland’s Shane Lowry and South Africa’s Shaun Norris.

Which players still have to finish their first round?

Italy’s Renato Paratore, Austria’s Maximilian Steinlechner and Poland’s Adrian Meronk are also on three under, but all three must return on Friday morning to complete their opening 18 holes after fading light stopped play on Thursday evening.

How did Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and the other contenders score?

Two-time Irish Open champion Jon Rahm of Spain carded a level-par 70. Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, Scotland’s Conor Syme and Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed are among those on two under, while Robert MacIntyre of Scotland is two over. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka and Spain’s Sergio Garcia are on five over after Koepka made a triple bogey at the first and dropped another shot at the second. Tyrrell Hatton is eight over.

What would a win mean for Rory McIlroy?

McIlroy is defending the title he won at the K Club last year and is chasing a third Irish Open crown, having also triumphed at that venue in 2016. A victory would draw him level with Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie on three Irish Open wins.

Elsewhere in golf, the Solheim Cup opens with Hull and Woad facing Korda and Corpuz.

Frequently asked questions

What score did Rory McIlroy shoot in the first round of the Irish Open?

McIlroy shot a one-under-par 69 at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, leaving him four shots behind leader Joaquin Niemann of Chile.

Who leads the Irish Open after the first round?

Joaquin Niemann of Chile leads on five under, two shots clear of a five-player group on three under that includes Shane Lowry and Shaun Norris.

How long did Rory McIlroy’s first round take?

McIlroy’s opening round took more than six hours in high winds and showers, which he said may be the longest round of his career.

With reporting from BBC Sport.

Stock image, not from the events described. Golfer in Golf Links 1 — kallerna / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)