Open favourite Rory McIlroy had a nightmare start to his bid to win the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush after a quadruple-bogey eight at the first. Northern Ireland’s big hope for a home winner could not have begun in worse fashion, having hit his tee shot out of bounds. PA looks at just how badly it went, shot by shot. 1 – McIlroy takes a two-iron off the tee for safety but tugs it left and it lands five feet out of bounds having hit and damaged the mobile phone of a spectator. 2 – Penalty stroke3 – The Northern Irishman reloads but his second attempt off the tee, again with an iron, finishes in the left rough4 – Hits a shot from 155 yards into a bush to the left of the green and is forced to call an unplayable lie Rory McIlroy takes a drop on the first hole at Royal Portrush (David Davies/PA)5 – Penalty stroke6 – Chips to eight feet7 – Misses with a putt which drifts to the right of the hole Rory McIlroy reflects on his disastrous start to the Open (David Davies, PA)8 – Taps in the return putt for a quadruple-bogey eight- Press Association

Source: Irish Examiner July 18, 2019 11:15 UTC