Rory McIlroy is currently two shots away from a medal position after finishing the opening round with a three-under-par 68, placing him in a tie for 15th at the Olympic men’s golf competition in Paris.
McIlroy achieved five birdies and one eagle, but his performance was hindered by four bogeys, including a setback at the final hole.
The Team Ireland golfer is five strokes behind Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who delivered an impressive eight-birdie 63 at Le Golf National.
Xander Schauffele, the recent Open Championship winner, holds the second position after starting with a 65, amidst a first round that experienced two delays due to lightning threats.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, and South Korea’s Tom Kim are tied for third after firing rounds of 66, with world number one Scottie Scheffler and Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood just one shot further back.
McIlroy’s teammate Shane Lowry managed a level-par 71, suffering three bogeys including a dropped shot at the last hole after the initial lightning delay.
After starting with a bogey on the par-three second hole, McIlroy bounced back to make the turn at three under with birdies on the third and fifth holes, plus an eagle on the ninth.
However, bogeys on the 10th and 12th brought him back to one under, but he rallied with three consecutive birdies from the 13th to reach four under. Unfortunately, his round concluded on a disappointing note as he scored a five on the final hole after three putting.
In Tokyo, McIlroy missed out on a bronze medal after losing in a playoff during his Olympic debut.
