Rory McIlroy 'rolled his eyes' at journalist question after humiliating first round at The Open
Rory McIlroy finished with a round of 78
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Rory McIlroy was seemingly unimpressed with one question from a reporter following his disastrous first round at The Open on Thursday.
The Northern Irishman heartbreakingly missed out on the US Open title last month, prompting him to take a few weeks away from the tour.
He returned at last week's Scottish Open and finished an impressive tied-fourth, setting him up well for the 152nd Open Championship in Royal Troon.
However, the iconic course showed no mercy to the 35-year-old as he ended up carding an opening round score of 78.
Rory McIlroy finished with a round of 78
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At seven-over par, McIlroy now finds himself 10 shots behind Justin Thomas going into Friday.
McIlroy kept his post-round media duties to a minimum with a bunch of reporters huddled round to try and ask him questions.
One person asked whether he felt it was possible to claw back the deficit to Thomas, to which McIlroy reportedly rolled his eyes and grimaced before replying.
“I mean, all I need to focus on is tomorrow and try to make the cut," he said.
"That’s all I can focus on.”
McIlroy was wrestling with the conditions from the start, but it wasn't until he found the 'coffin bunker' on the eighth hole where the wheels truly came off.
He walked away with a double bogey and failed to get back on track with another double bogey on the 11th after a wayward drive.
McIlroy added: “Difficult day. I felt like I did okay for the first part of the round and then missed the green at the 'Postage Stamp' there and left it in and made a double.
“But still, felt like I was in reasonable enough shape being a couple over through nine, thinking that I could maybe get those couple shots back, try to shoot even par, something like that.“
Then hitting the ball out of bounds on 11, making a double there.
"Even though the wind on the back nine was helping, it was a lot off the left.
Rory McIlroy lost the battle with the elements
REUTERS
"I was actually surprised how difficult I felt like the back nine played.
"I thought we were going to get it a little bit easier than we did.”
McIlroy wasn't the only one to struggle on Thursday though as Bryson DeChambeau, who beat the Northern Irishman in a tense finale to the US Open last month, ended up with a round of 76.
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Bryson DeChambeau similarly had a day to forget
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The 30-year-old admitted afterwards that he found it tough getting used to the conditions.
"I didn't really play much in the rain," DeChambeau said.
"Yeah, it's a difficult test out here. Something I'm not familiar with. I never grew up playing it, and not to say that that's the reason; I finished eighth at St Andrews. I can do it when it's warm and not windy."
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