Rory McIlroy is six shots off the lead after the first round of the RBC Canadian Open
Rory McIlroy’s hopes of heading into the US Open with his 30th PGA Tour win suffered a blow when he bogeyed his last two holes to open with a one-over 71 in the RBC Canadian Open at TPC Toronto.
The world number two and reigning Masters champion began on the back nine and got off to a slow start, dropping shots at the 12th and 17th after missing both greens.
He turned in one-over as he two-putted the par-five 18th for birdie, then made it three birdies in a row as he two-putted again at the par-five first before knocking in an 11-footer at the second.
He had to make a seven-footer for par at the third but after making a 12-footer to avoid a dropped shot at the 228-yard seventh, he moved the ball just five feet from greenside rough at the par-four eighth and made bogey to drop back to level par.
He then plugged his tee shot in a fairway bunker and after splashing out to the fairway, he couldn’t get up and down from 164 yards and pencilled in another bogey.
It was a rusty performance from the world number two, who hasn’t played since he finished 47th, 14 shots behind Scottie Scheffler in the PGA Championship more than two weeks ago.
His 71 left him provisionally tied for 51st, six shots behind early clubhouse leader Taylor Pendrith, who shot 65 to lead by a shot from Rico Hoey, Sam Burns, Nick Taylor and Thomas Detry.
