KIDWCKED
07-15-2010, 08:02 PM
c\p from espn by the a/p
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- The Old Course was defenseless and no one took advantage of it more than Rory McIlroy.
The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland tied the major championship record Thursday by shooting a 9-under 63 in the opening round of The Open Championship at St. Andrews.
One of golf's brightest prospects, McIlroy started his romp with an eagle at the 352-yard ninth, where he drove the green and rolled in the putt. He then made six birdies on the homeward holes for a 30 that tied the tournament's back-nine record.
McIlroy became only the eighth player to go so low at the British Open, equaling a mark from 17 years ago by the late Payne Stewart at Royal St. George. Overall, just 22 players have shot 63 in one of the four major tournaments, including Greg Norman and Vijay Singh, who each did it twice.
The last to do it: Tiger Woods at the 2007 PGA Championship.
McIlroy is the youngest player to shoot 63 in a major. He's 21 years, 72 days old. The second-youngest was Paul Broadhurst in the 1990 Open Champonship. He was nearly 25.
"I didn't get off to a flying start," McIlroy said. "The eagle on 9 really sort of turned things around for me, and I just got going from there. It was great to get into the rhythm of the round and get into a flow. And yeah, it was a very pleasant round of golf."
McIlroy had a chance to claim the record all to himself.
A brilliant approach at No. 17, the famed "Road Hole," left him with a 5-footer for birdie. But the putt slid wide of the cup, and McIlroy rolled back his head in disappointment after tapping in the par, knowing that he had squandered a chance at a truly historic score.
While no one ever expects to shoot 63 in a major, it was certainly a day for posting a low number.
The birthplace of golf played like a muni, with hardly any wind blowing in off St. Andrews Bay and only a sprinkling of rain. In fact, the sun popped out just as McIlroy was finishing up, and competitors were able to strip off their jackets and play in short sleeves.
"The old lady had no clothes on today," said 60-year-old Tom Watson, who opened with a 73 and was one of the few players who failed to break par.
When the expected storms didn't materialize, at least for the morning starters, there were red numbers all over the place. Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa shot 65. His round featured eight birdies in the first 15 holes before a bogey at the 17th.
John Daly matched the best score of his Open career with a 66, a number that was equaled by Scottish journeyman Andrew Coltart. Englishman Steven Tiley, who played collegiately at Georgia State, also shot 66 -- as did Bradley Dredge from Wales and Peter Hanson of Sweden.
Woods shot a 67, showing this might be the week for his first victory since being tarnished by a sex scandal that had the British media speculating as much about his personal life as the prospects of him becoming the first player to win three Open titles at St. Andrews.
The world's top-ranked player romped to dominating wins in 2000 and 2005; a third straight would give him 15 majors titles, just three shy of Jack Nicklaus' career record.
"With the conditions we had, you had to go get it,'' said Woods, who made just one bogey and shot the same opening-round score as in 2005 -- when he went on to win the tournament by five strokes.
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- The Old Course was defenseless and no one took advantage of it more than Rory McIlroy.
The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland tied the major championship record Thursday by shooting a 9-under 63 in the opening round of The Open Championship at St. Andrews.
One of golf's brightest prospects, McIlroy started his romp with an eagle at the 352-yard ninth, where he drove the green and rolled in the putt. He then made six birdies on the homeward holes for a 30 that tied the tournament's back-nine record.
McIlroy became only the eighth player to go so low at the British Open, equaling a mark from 17 years ago by the late Payne Stewart at Royal St. George. Overall, just 22 players have shot 63 in one of the four major tournaments, including Greg Norman and Vijay Singh, who each did it twice.
The last to do it: Tiger Woods at the 2007 PGA Championship.
McIlroy is the youngest player to shoot 63 in a major. He's 21 years, 72 days old. The second-youngest was Paul Broadhurst in the 1990 Open Champonship. He was nearly 25.
"I didn't get off to a flying start," McIlroy said. "The eagle on 9 really sort of turned things around for me, and I just got going from there. It was great to get into the rhythm of the round and get into a flow. And yeah, it was a very pleasant round of golf."
McIlroy had a chance to claim the record all to himself.
A brilliant approach at No. 17, the famed "Road Hole," left him with a 5-footer for birdie. But the putt slid wide of the cup, and McIlroy rolled back his head in disappointment after tapping in the par, knowing that he had squandered a chance at a truly historic score.
While no one ever expects to shoot 63 in a major, it was certainly a day for posting a low number.
The birthplace of golf played like a muni, with hardly any wind blowing in off St. Andrews Bay and only a sprinkling of rain. In fact, the sun popped out just as McIlroy was finishing up, and competitors were able to strip off their jackets and play in short sleeves.
"The old lady had no clothes on today," said 60-year-old Tom Watson, who opened with a 73 and was one of the few players who failed to break par.
When the expected storms didn't materialize, at least for the morning starters, there were red numbers all over the place. Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa shot 65. His round featured eight birdies in the first 15 holes before a bogey at the 17th.
John Daly matched the best score of his Open career with a 66, a number that was equaled by Scottish journeyman Andrew Coltart. Englishman Steven Tiley, who played collegiately at Georgia State, also shot 66 -- as did Bradley Dredge from Wales and Peter Hanson of Sweden.
Woods shot a 67, showing this might be the week for his first victory since being tarnished by a sex scandal that had the British media speculating as much about his personal life as the prospects of him becoming the first player to win three Open titles at St. Andrews.
The world's top-ranked player romped to dominating wins in 2000 and 2005; a third straight would give him 15 majors titles, just three shy of Jack Nicklaus' career record.
"With the conditions we had, you had to go get it,'' said Woods, who made just one bogey and shot the same opening-round score as in 2005 -- when he went on to win the tournament by five strokes.