‘Will Irish Eyes Be Smiling’ say the many banners about the Carton House golf course featuring Rory McIlroy and the very best of his Irish golfing counterparts.

However McIlroy’s eyes were not smiling after shooting a disappointing two over par 74.

It seems the last place McIlroy looks comfortable at present is on a golf course.

And not for a first time in recent months since signing a ultra-lucrative contract with Nike, the double Major Champion was left red-faced by his grimson coloured Covert driver.

These two fisherman hauled in a dozen brown trout while Rory McIlroy could manage just two birdies on day one of the 2013 Irish Open. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

McIlroy could manage to find just five of the 14 fairways around the rain-softened Carton House golf course to be left trailing already eight shots behind first round leader Oscar Floren of Sweden.

Former Irish Open winner, Shane Lowry is among a group on five under par and looking to become the first-ever player to win the event as an amateur and then as a pro.

Lowry recorded a five under par 67 hitting three more fairways than McIlroy but also using the putter on just 27 occasions compared to McIlroy who had 34 putts.

“Off the tee, I’m missing one left and I’m missing one right,” said McIlroy.

“It’s just not ‑‑ at least if you have one miss, you can sort of play for it, but yeah, it’s tough when you see both shots coming off the tee.  It sort of gets you in two minds every time you hit a tee shot.

“It feels good on the range and I hit all the shots I want to on the range but when I get out on the course it just seems to not really be there, so I don’t know if it’s a matter of just trying to play my way out of it or just keep grinding on range or whatever it is.”