The Open 2019: the hope of Rory McIlroy & # 039; in pieces after the opening round of 79
The Open 2019: Watch McIlroy's nightmare, while the first quadruples the bogeys
The 148th Open Championship, Royal PortrushDates: 18-21 JulyCoverage: live text updates and in-play clips on the BBC Sport website, with live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and daily highlights on BBC Two. Open leaderboard
Rory McIlroy made a quadruple bogey on the first hole and triple bogey as the last bid for a house. The open victory at Royal Portrush remained in fragments.
The winner of 2014, who played in his home country of Northern Ireland, sent his first tee shot out of favor and finished his round gloriously.
McIlroy finished with a round of eight-over-par 79 – 12 battles behind clubhouse leader Shane Lowry.
I would like to beat myself
Rory McIlroy
World number one Brooks Koepka made a promising start to his opening round.
The 29-year-old American, looking for his fifth major since 2017, made birdies on holes two and five in a group that includes 2010 champion Louis Oosthuizen. His countryman and the 2017 champion, Jordan Spieth, also looked good after moving three holes to three.
Three times winner Tiger Woods wins alongside fellow American and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed and Matt of England Wallace, while world number four Justin Rose, second in 2018, is with American Tony Finau and Dane Lucas Bjerregaard.
McIlroy suffers while Lowry blooms
The Open 2019: I have undone all the great work on the last few holes – Mcllroy
Much of the focus in building the championship was whether Northern Ireland, on Sunday, would celebrate their greatest hope by lifting the Claret Jug at the country's premiere.
But the chance that that happens almost disappeared as the 30-year memories of his final round at the 2011 Masters, with an inward nine that included a double bogey on the 16th and a triple bogey on the 18th. The quadruple was his first in a major since the US Open in 2013.
"I would like to beat myself," the quadruple big winner told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I made some stupid mistakes, I was pretty nervous on the first tee and hit a bad shot, I showed some resilience in the middle of the round and tried to fight back in the championship, but then I also ended badly.
"Looking back, I have undone all my good work to recover on the last three holes.
"At the end of the day I play golf to realize my ambitions, not someone else's, but I wish I had given the crowd something to cheer.
" I've dropped myself more than anyone else and have to pick me up again. "
Irishman Lowry set the early standard with five birdies, and a drop-shot, for a 67, while 22-year-old Scotsman Robert MacIntyre , playing in his first Open, an eagle produced at the fifth and finished his shot at the back.
Spanish two-time second defender Sergio Garcia and Webb Simpson, winner of the US Open, also had strong days to join to add a group to three.
A delighted MacIntyre, second to the British Masters, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I hung there all day, especially when it got late again."
Lowry, 32, added: "I gave myself many opportunities and then I didn't have any tuck pleated, but then saved a few good pearls. "
The Open 2019: view Emiliano Grillo & # 39; s 200-yard hole in one on the 13th
Another Northern Irishman, Darren Clarke, was greeted by a large crowd at 06:35 BST when he made the first tee-shot on the County Antrim course, which is organizing the tournament for the first time in 68 years.
Royal Portrush expects 237,750 spectators during the four days – a record number for an Open Outside St Andrews – that tripled the 235,000 that visited Borkdale in 2017.
The spectators experienced a variety of circumstances including wind and bright sunshine, then swirling showers before the sun returned for the last groups.
Bad luck 13 for Duval
It was a day to forget in the career of former Open champion David Duval
There was disappointment for the defending champion, the Italian Francesco Molinari, who produced three bogeys and a double bogey in the first 13 holes when he left three for the round ended
Graeme McDowell, who was born a stone's throw from the track, was two less than a bird on the 14th but the 2010 US Open winner round fell apart after a triple bogey finish.
One of the biggest cheers of the day came in the 200-yard par three 13th when Argentinian Emiliano Grillo sunk the first ace of the championship, but there were seventh full blessing in the par-five winner of 2001 David Duval suffered the disgrace of a 13. The 47-year-old also registered a triple bogey on the 17th and is at the bottom on the nineteenth.