World No. 1 and four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy admits he was under-prepared but refused to blame his jet-setting ways in the past 10 days as any reason in posting his poorest round in well over a month.
McIlroy found himself near the tail of the field sharing 102nd place in the 125-player field after a shock three over par 74 on the opening day of the ultra-lucrative start to the FedEx Cup Play Off Series at the Barclays Championship in Paramus, New Jersey.
It left the four-time Major winner lying nine shots behind American Bo Van Pelt who was out in the afternoon shooting a six under par 65 and lead a group of eight players including England’s Paul Casey in second place on five under par.
McIlroy struggled from the outset on the famed tree-lined Tillinghast designed gem to be three-over par after four holes, four over through nine and ending by holing a 32-footer for birdie.
Rory McIlroy struggles in shooting a first round 74. (Photo – www.pgatour.com)
It is the four-time Major winning McIlroy’s poorest round since the ‘Friday Fright’ of a day two 78 in last month’s Scottish Open, and a day after he had shot a then new Royal Aberdeen course record 64.
“I just wasn’t very good, and actually felt I got off to a good start but just short-sided myself on the 12th or my third hole and made double from there, and that, compounded it with a bogey at the next,” he said.
“I tried really hard to get some momentum going in the round but I just couldn’t’ really do that”.
And McIlroy ruled out any suggestions of fatigue in the wake of his ‘Triple Crown’ winning effort in capturing The Open Championship, the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and last fortnight’s fourth Major triumph in capturing a second PGA Championship.
He then spent three days celebrating in nearby New York, was guest-of-honour as last Saturday’s Premier League opener at Old Trafford before jetting back to the Big Apple for corporate work, TV appearances and an Ice Bucket Challenge with Tiger Woods.
“Yes, I’ve been to three, four, five, no four different places but it hasn’t been too bad,” he said.
“Look, I’m used to the travel. I’m used to doing that. It’s nothing new to me.
“Fatigue isn’t playing a part. It’s just not putting in time in that I probably should have over the past week and I allowed myself that and I deserved that.
“So I need to work hard on the range this afternoon and go out tomorrow and shoot a number.”
