The Open Daily Diary: Rory's woes and a pooch on the loose at Portrush
Peter Hanson and Russell Greaves at Royal Portrush
July 18, 2019 22:13 MYT
July 18, 2019 22:13 MYT
It was an eventful start to proceedings at the 148th Open Championship, with some of the biggest names in the sport enduring a day of toil.
Royal Portrush was a hot ticket as the world's best golfers began their quest for the coveted Claret Jug.
There was sunshine, rain, wind and all sorts of drama out on the course.
As ever, Omnisport's reporters had their eyes peeled for some of things you may have missed, collecting the highlights into this bite-sized diary.
THINGS QUICKLY GO AWRY FOR RORY
It was quite an experience standing on the first hole when Rory McIlroy's name was announced to an expectant crowd, with the fans giving a typically deafening roar.
Sadly for McIlroy, who shot 61 at Portrush in 2005, things quickly went wrong. His opening tee shot veered out of bounds and smashed a fan's phone in the process.
A quadruple-bogey eight followed and it was a subdued crowd who witnessed their homegrown star trundle to the second tee, with the applause turning to little more than a polite smattering.
Not the start that @McIlroyRory or the fans wanted. An 8 on the first means he's +4 #TheOpen Live coverage https://t.co/V5gkRJCUkC pic.twitter.com/PONXr0mXUT — The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2019
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WONDER IF HE FOUND HIMSELF IN THE WOOF?
Plenty of players are jostling for the lead at The Open, but one good boy perhaps should have been kept more tightly on his...
A happy dog found his way on to a tee box and managed to escape the attentions of fans and officials trying to usher him back under the spectator ropes.
Hope this guy has a ticket#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/rKgvoGojLn — The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2019
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ARE YOU TAKING THE MIC? - DUVAL NOT IMPRESSED
Poor David Duval endured quite the day, kicking it off with back-to-back birdies before a quadruple bogey on the fifth and an eye-watering 14 on the seventh.
He played two provisional shots off the tee and then ended up continuing with the wrong ball, incurring a hefty penalty.
To his credit, the 2001 champion turned up for his mixed zone duties after his round of 91, but he was not keen to speak into the podium microphone.
First, he side-stepped the device altogether, but when it was thrust towards his face, the American swatted it away again.