Rory, Tiger licking wounds after dramatic day

by Justin Falconer at Royal Portrush

Rory McIlroy runs the 1st tee on the way to a fourfold bogey eight to start his 2019 Open Championship.

There weren't many around, but JB Holmes stole the show – and the direct leadership – extremely late in the peace on Thursday at the 148th Open.

Shane Lowry of Ireland sat on top of the rankings for the majority of the opening round after dominating in the morning en route to a first up 4-under-67.

But five-time PGA Tour winner Holmes made three birdies in his last seven holes en route to an opening 5-under-66 and a one-stroke buffer over the field.

A monster pack of 13 players is a stroke further back at 3-under, a number of those who brave the brutal winds and rain of the afternoon to take a big step in the rankings on Friday morning.

Perhaps the most impressive attempt of that group came from Kiwi Ryan Fox, the long bomber who sat across the street on the 13th t-shirt before he rattled an incredible six birds in his last seven holes.

Participating in Fox at 3-under are Alex Noren, Webb Simpson, Sergio Garcia, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Tommy Fleetwood, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm to name just a few.

Justin Rose leads a trio of players a stroke further back on 2-under-par.

Past Open champions Henrik Stenson, Jordan Spieth and Louis Oosthuizen are accompanied by Rickie Fowler and Eddie Pepperell, as well as many of the game's biggest names, at 1-under in a shared 20th.

But the opening day at Royal Portrush can be remembered for a series of implosion implosions, no bigger than that of national hero Rory McIlroy at the first hole of the day

The 30-year-old pulled his opening tee out of shot left and it only got worse from that moment, the Northern Irishman took a quadruple-bogey eight in a nightmare start.

He played the next 14 holes in 1-under-par, but a double on the par-3 16th – as a result of a three-putt of less than two meters – and a triple bogey on the last one put a full stop on a bitter disappointing day.

Fourteen-year-old great champion Tiger Woods will not feel much better when his head falls on the pillow tonight, while the American stumbles to a round of 7-over-78 with just one birdie.