Rory McIlroy was left 10 shots off the lead at the Canadian Open after shooting a stuttering one-over par opening round on Thursday.
Playing his first tournament since a disappointing showing at the PGA Championship last month, McIlroy recovered from a slow start with three successive birdies around the turn to move under par, but bogeyed his last two holes to post 71.
McIlroy was among the early starters, but by the time the rest of the field had completed their rounds, he was left trailing co-leaders Thorbjorn Olesen and Cristobal Del Solar by 10 strokes, as they each shot 61.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry was five-under through his first eight holes but had to settle for a 64, three shots off the lead, after a less explosive back nine.
England’s Danny Willett and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre were both a shot further back on five-under, leaving them well placed to remain in contention at the weekend.
Justin Rose went five-under at the 11th hole but made a double bogey at the 15th before finishing on two-under.
‘It’s hard with the driver’ – McIlroy’s admission after PGA Championship controversy
Having completed a career Grand Slam at by finally winning The Masters in April, McIlroy was unable to reproduce the same form at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in May.
He explained this week upon arriving in Canada that he had not spoken to the media at his previous tournament due to being “p***** off” by information about a non-conforming driver being “leaked”.
McIlroy was frustrated that only news of his driver being deemed non-conforming had become public when the same had happened to his rival, and eventual tournament winner, Scottie Scheffler.
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Out early on Thursday, McIlroy continued to struggle with adjusting to his new driver, missing the fairway right on several occasions during his round.
Playing the back nine first at TPC Toronto, McIlroy started with two pars before a poor error from little more than a 100 yards out on the fairway at the 12th hole led to a bogey.
He would drop further off the pace at the tough 17th as a drive into the rough left him a 20-foot putt for par, which he failed to convert.
However, the Northern Irishman responded immediately by taking advantage of the course’s two par-five holes.
He got himself in strong positions off the tee to leave tap-in birdies at both, before making it three in a row by rolling in an 11-foot putt at the second.
The streak could, and perhaps should, have continued as McIlroy set up birdie chances at the next four holes, but failed to take any of them before finally holing a putt to stay one-under at the par-three seventh.
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The respite was only temporary as a duffed chip from thick rough beside the eighth green meant McIlroy needed an impressive follow up chip to limit the damage to a bogey.
He then found a fairway bunker at his final hole, and had to settle for another bogey to leave him over par.
Reflecting on his round, McIlroy said: “It’s hard with the driver. With the one I had been playing with previously, my miss with it was a little bit left.
“And then my miss with this one is a little bit right, so it’s just trying to figure out that and manage it a little bit.
“But a nice feeling to be able to aim up the middle of the fairway and fully release it and know it’s not going to go left on you.
“A little bit of practice this afternoon and I’ll get ready for tomorrow.”
Who will win the RBC Canadian Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 11.45am on Sky Sports +, ahead of full coverage from 8pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
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