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| Rory McIlroy starts well at Wentworth despite Caroline Wozniacki split | Rory McIlroy starts well at Wentworth despite Caroline Wozniacki split |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Out of one storm and into another. That rather summed up Rory McIlroy’s first round at the BMW PGA Championship here. To his credit, McIlroy did an excellent job of braving what was thrown at him during day one of the European Tour’s flagship event. | Out of one storm and into another. That rather summed up Rory McIlroy’s first round at the BMW PGA Championship here. To his credit, McIlroy did an excellent job of braving what was thrown at him during day one of the European Tour’s flagship event. |
| McIlroy’s split with Caroline Wozniacki dominated the pre-tournament narrative. Wozniacki has now broken her silence on the matter, by tweeting that “it’s a hard time for me right now”. McIlroy conceded after his first round here that his sleep had been affected. | |
| He found some solace on the golf course on a day that was disrupted by two separate weather delays. He had played just one hole when hauled from the fairways, as thunder and lightning struck. The Northern Irishman sat one over par after four but recovered admirably to sign for an opening round of 68. | He found some solace on the golf course on a day that was disrupted by two separate weather delays. He had played just one hole when hauled from the fairways, as thunder and lightning struck. The Northern Irishman sat one over par after four but recovered admirably to sign for an opening round of 68. |
| “I haven’t put my phone on for two days and I have given my laptop away,” McIlroy said upon completion of his round. “It is like I am living in the 1960s or 70s. At times it was difficult out there but when you are over a shot it is easier to keep your mind on things. I said yesterday that this would be a difficult week. It was also a very stop-start day. | “I haven’t put my phone on for two days and I have given my laptop away,” McIlroy said upon completion of his round. “It is like I am living in the 1960s or 70s. At times it was difficult out there but when you are over a shot it is easier to keep your mind on things. I said yesterday that this would be a difficult week. It was also a very stop-start day. |
| “I don’t think you’d be a human being if it wasn’t tough, especially when it’s a little slow out there and we were walking in between shots. It is a tough week and I’m not really that comfortable standing here talking about it.” | “I don’t think you’d be a human being if it wasn’t tough, especially when it’s a little slow out there and we were walking in between shots. It is a tough week and I’m not really that comfortable standing here talking about it.” |
| There were a couple of spellbinding moments. McIlroy holed his second shot with a pitching wedge from 130 yards at the 7th for an eagle. On the par-five 12th, he hit a five-iron approach from 203 yards to tap in range. | There were a couple of spellbinding moments. McIlroy holed his second shot with a pitching wedge from 130 yards at the 7th for an eagle. On the par-five 12th, he hit a five-iron approach from 203 yards to tap in range. |
| On a course he has never had much fondness for, the 25-year-old was entitled to be content with this start, even before off-course distraction is taken into account. “This is a pretty unusual position for me to be in at this tournament so I hope I can stay there,” he added. | On a course he has never had much fondness for, the 25-year-old was entitled to be content with this start, even before off-course distraction is taken into account. “This is a pretty unusual position for me to be in at this tournament so I hope I can stay there,” he added. |
| “Honestly, I’d just be delighted to make it to the weekend because I haven’t done that here for the last couple years. I feel like I am playing well enough to shoot low scores. I’ll try and go out there tomorrow and shoot another one to put me in the mix.” | “Honestly, I’d just be delighted to make it to the weekend because I haven’t done that here for the last couple years. I feel like I am playing well enough to shoot low scores. I’ll try and go out there tomorrow and shoot another one to put me in the mix.” |
| McIlroy’s four-under-par on day one was comprehensively bettered by Thomas Bjorn. The Dane, a former Wentworth resident, carded a superb 62 to march clear of the field. | McIlroy’s four-under-par on day one was comprehensively bettered by Thomas Bjorn. The Dane, a former Wentworth resident, carded a superb 62 to march clear of the field. |
| Bjorn’s score shocked the man himself more than anybody else. He missed the cut last weekend at the Spanish Open. “Last week was awful and I was starting to feel a bit frustrated with things,” Bjorn said. “To be honest in practice, it hasn’t been great, either. To go out on this golf course of all places and play like I did today is a little bit surprising. | Bjorn’s score shocked the man himself more than anybody else. He missed the cut last weekend at the Spanish Open. “Last week was awful and I was starting to feel a bit frustrated with things,” Bjorn said. “To be honest in practice, it hasn’t been great, either. To go out on this golf course of all places and play like I did today is a little bit surprising. |
| “I haven’t had the best record here. I haven’t had the best rounds here. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually had any sort of result on this golf course. It’s not a place where I come in and think ‘oh, this is going to be a great week’.. | “I haven’t had the best record here. I haven’t had the best rounds here. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually had any sort of result on this golf course. It’s not a place where I come in and think ‘oh, this is going to be a great week’.. |
| “On the European Tour, there’s no bigger stage than this. This is our event. It’s the players’ event. We have a lot of heart in this event. We are very proud of it, and to come out and play great is just special.” | “On the European Tour, there’s no bigger stage than this. This is our event. It’s the players’ event. We have a lot of heart in this event. We are very proud of it, and to come out and play great is just special.” |
| The Irishman Shane Lowry came the closest to matching Bjorn’s score with a 64. Lowry’s round even included two dropped shots. His post-round sentiment was similar to that of Bjorn. | The Irishman Shane Lowry came the closest to matching Bjorn’s score with a 64. Lowry’s round even included two dropped shots. His post-round sentiment was similar to that of Bjorn. |
| “I have been struggling a bit so far this season,” said Lowry. “My best finish was last week, tied 15th. Other than that, I have missed a few cuts and haven’t really been putting that well but managed to find something at home a couple of weeks ago and hopefully I can now keep it going.” | |
| Sergio García completed an opening one-over-par 73 before play was disrupted by bad weather but then withdrew citing a knee injury. | Sergio García completed an opening one-over-par 73 before play was disrupted by bad weather but then withdrew citing a knee injury. |
| Garcia suffered the injury in the Spanish Open last week and had an MRI on Monday. He said: “It felt better, I guess from resting it Monday and Tuesday, but I think from walking on it, and going up and down the hills, it’s just been pinching more than anything. With the US Open coming up, I don’t want it to get worse.” |
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