“I do not wish to sound like I am that dissatisfied however I really feel like I left a couple of on the market. I missed a few quick ones.
“Total, it was a extremely stable begin on a golf course that I am very snug on and traditionally I’ve performed very properly on.”
Solely English duo Tyrrell Hatton and Marco Penge can prevent McIlroy from successful the season-long competitors, previously often called the European Tour’s Order of Advantage, however they sit joint-Twenty second and joint-Forty sixth respectively after the opening spherical.
McIlroy’s Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood sits in second, one stroke forward on seven-under-par.
The 2025 Tour Championship winner hit 5 birdies over a six-hole stretch down the again 9, serving to him leapfrog McIlroy on the leaderboard.
“I really feel prefer it was a extremely good day,” stated Fleetwood.
“I did not assume it was that straightforward. There are some actually good scores on the market. There have been some actually demanding pictures on that again 9 and I felt like I acquired into a extremely good rhythm.
“Drove it pretty much as good as I’ve drove all of it yr. It was a extremely good driving day. I made two or three good par saves, which is vital.”
