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The notorious Postage Stamp gap at Royal Troon claimed its first victims of the 152nd Open Championship Thursday and amongst them was none apart from Rory McIlroy.
The Northern Irishman headed to Scotland this week for his final likelihood of ending his decade-long main drought this yr, one month on from his agonizing implosion on the US Open.
However earlier than he might even attain the flip of his first spherical, catastrophe struck. The 35-year-old entered the black on the par-three eighth.
Regardless of solely enjoying 123 yards, the tiny inexperienced on the quick par-three is treacherous. Miss and also you’re in hassle – one thing McIlroy learnt the laborious manner.
The four-time main winner discovered one of many deadly, steep-sided bunkers to the proper of the inexperienced and paid the worth.
Rory McIlroy fell sufferer to Royal Troon’s notorious Postage Stamp gap on Thursday
He tried a wedge shot to splash out of the sand, which labored – for a second. Attempting to navigate the fragile steadiness of escaping the hazard however not firing it over to the opposite aspect of the inexperienced, he did not fairly give it sufficient energy.
His ball caught the slope of the inexperienced and trundled all the best way again, not solely degreening itself but additionally discovering the sand once more.
Having gained possibly a complete of two ft, McIlroy tried to play his bunker shot once more however cautious of a repeat, he gave his second likelihood an excessive amount of and needed to accept a double bogey.
There was no likelihood of a bounceback both. A bogey on the tenth and one other double on the eleventh adopted, sinking McIlroy additional down the leaderboard.
McIlroy is aiming to heal his US Open heartbreak at Troon this week after he agonizingly missed out to Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst.
Holding a two-shot lead through the ultimate spherical of final month’s main, McIlroy carded three bogeys throughout the ultimate 5 holes – lacking two putts from a mixed distance of seven ft.
He stepped again from {the golfing} highlight, taking time away for 3 weeks amid a turbulent time on and off the course.
He made his return to golf on the Genesis Scottish Open final week, the place he completed in a tie for fourth at 14-under.
His US Open choke, which prolonged his decade-long main victory drought, got here amid a turbulent time without work the course too.
He made a double bogey on the par-three eighth through the first spherical of The Open
The Northern Irishman is aiming to brush off his US Open heartbreak from final month
McIlroy took a three-week break after Pinehurst amid his collapse and divorce U-turn drama
On the eve of the US Open, he introduced he was calling off the divorce from his spouse of seven years, Erica Stoll.
It was solely a month prior, earlier than the PGA Championship in Might, that McIlroy introduced that he and Erica have been to separate on account of their marriage being ‘irretrievably damaged’.
However on the Tuesday earlier than the match, McIlroy mentioned in a press release: ‘There have been rumors about my private life lately, which is unlucky. Responding to every rumor is a idiot’s recreation.
‘Over the previous weeks, Erica and I’ve realized that our greatest future was as a household collectively. Fortunately, we’ve resolved our variations and stay up for a brand new starting.’
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