I wasn't too sharp with the irons but I was still on the green and rolled the ball pretty well. As for his world No 1 ranking, he's clearly keen to hold on to it for a 65th consecutive week. He added: "The way I was feeling today, I should have shot something in the 60s, but I didn't do it." Unlike Spieth, who started bogey-bogey-eagle-double bogey and found water three times in his first seven holes en route to a disquieting 75, McIlroy got off to a good start. The Co Down man is trying hard to be disciplined on a tactical track that he's trying hard to love.

Source: Evening echo May 11, 2018 05:48 UTC