The Open Round 1 Leaderboard: Rory McIlroy remains in the hunt despite shocking day off the tee

McIlroy -1 (F)

McIlroy two putts for par on 18 for a 1-under 70.

His 35 footer for birdie narrowly missed on the right side.

The crowd cheer loudly as he plucks his ball out the cup to remain very much in the hunt for a second Open title. 

Rory's round promised much more around the turn when he got to 3-under, but it's still a steady start. 

Given he hit just two fairways, you would like to think he will take it. 

1-under, three back. 

Fleetwood and Thomas also make pars on 18. 

But both finish the day over par.

Thomas 1-over, Fleetwood 2-over. 

Rose -2, MacIntyre Par (F)

Rose and MacIntyre keep themselves in the hunt for a first Open title. 

Both make pars at 18.

Rose 2-under, MacIntyre level. 

Spieth +2 (F)

Spieth birdies the 18th for a battle hardened 2-over 73.

It's not the round the former Open champion was looking for but he's not completely out of it. 

DeChambeau +7 

It's a bogey on 17 for Bryson and it leads to a dismal round of 7-over 78, his worst ever opening round at a major. 

McIlroy Par, Thomas +1, Fleetwood +3 (16)

A brilliant chip from McIlroy from the left side of the tough par-3 16th leads to a par. 

He remains at level. 

Fleetwood and Thomas also make par.

Aberg +2 (16)

It's tough out right now. 

Aberg goes way right off the tee on the par-3 16th and it leads to another bogey.

The Swede falls to 2-over par. 

English -4 (14)

English fails to convert a 12 footer for par on the 14th and he's back into a five-way tie for the lead on 4-under par.

McIlroy Par, Fleetwood +3 (15)

This is a grind for Rory. 

McIlroy left himself short-sighted after his approach shot right of the green, but he managed to convert a 10 footer for par to remain at level. 

There was no such luck for Fleetwood, who has now made back to back bogeys to fall all the way back to 3-over par. 

McIlroy Par (14)

This is turning into a shocking finish from McIlroy. 

He once again struck another errant tee shot into the bunker and he was forced to lay up.

McIlroy then inexplicably missed the green with a wedge from 111 yards.

He chipped up close to save bogey, but McIlroy is now back to level par. 

The wind is picking up, so finishing level par will be some achievement given the finish in store at Royal Portrush. 

DeChambeau +5, MacIntyre -1, Rose -2 (13)

It's all going wrong for the 2024 US Open champion. 

DeChambeau began his round well and was 1-under par after playing the first two holes, but six bogeys have followed. 

McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +2, Thomas +1 (12*)

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood find the sand with their tee shots down the 12th. 

Justin Thomas is in the rough... 

LIV Golf's individual standings leader, Joaquin Niemann, has been playing nicely today. 

The 26-year-old Chilean grabs his second birdie of the day at the 12th. 

Niemann is one of 19 LIV players in the field at this year's Open. 

McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +2, Thomas +1 (11)

A misread from Rory McIlroy at the 11th, who misses a makeable par putt low. 

He'll drop back. 

That's his second bogey of the day. 

Fleetwood does well to save his four but he looks a bit dejected with how things are going so far. 

All it takes is one birdie, Tommy...

T. Hatton -3 (12)

Tyrrell Hatton climbs the leaderboard with a bounce-back birdie at the 12th. 

The Englishman dropped his first shot of the day at the 11th. 

McIlroy -3, Fleetwood +2, Thomas E (10)

Rory McIlroy locates his golf ball, but is faced with an awkward stance. 

He nudges his ball down the fairway and sets up a decent chance to save his par with a nice wedge. 

Tommy Fleetwood is also scrambling to save his four.

Shane Lowry has been speaking to Sky Sports about his opening round. 

The 2019 Claret Jug winner carded a 1-under 70. 

Lowry faced howling wind and rain at the turn and was delighted to get into the clubhouse in the red numbers. 

"I've fought with this round of golf in my head for a few weeks now. I knew it wasn't going to be easy," he said. 

"Any time you shoot a one-under-par around Portrush in those conditions, I think is decent."

McIlroy -3 (11*)

Rory McIlroy is struggling with the lefts today off the tee. 

Another poor drive sails towards the thick rough. 

He's only hit two of nine fairways today, and is somehow only one stroke behind the leaders. 

McIlroy -3, Fleetwood +2, Thomas E (10)

Enormous cheers from the 10th green, as McIlroy moves to within one stroke of the lead with a curling birdie putt. 

Tommy Fleetwood watches another putt stop short. 

It's not happening today for the Englishman!

Hatton -2 (11)

Tyrrell Hatton slips back to 2-under with a bogey at the 11th. 

Aberg +2, Hovland +2, Spieth +4 (10)

Jordan Spieth has had a nightmare start. 

The American, who won The Open at Royal Birkdale in 2017, has not played for four weeks. 

He hurt his back at the Travelers Championship and his wife Annie gave birth to their third child last week. 

Spieth has looked very rusty so far today. 

Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg are also struggling. 

Garcia (70)

Good stuff from Sergio Garcia today. 

The 2017 Masters winner was the recipient of an exemption given to the leading LIV Golf player to earn his spot in the field this week at Royal Portrush. 

Earlier in the day, his LIV peer Lee Westwood rolled back the years with a 2-under 69. 

Garcia has followed Westwood's example and will be delighted with his start to this year's Open. 

McIlroy -2, Fleetwood +1, Thomas -2 (8)

Rory hits another good tee shot down the 9th. 

Can he muster another good approach? Nope. Looks like he'll happily settle for a par here. 

He asks his approach to move right but his golf ball doesn't listen. 

Thomas and Fleetwood are both forced to hack out from the rough after hitting dodgy tee shots.