Rory McIlroy admitted to feeling &aposlost&apos after falling eight shots behind leader Oscar Floren on day one of the Irish Open at Carton House, while Australia&aposs Andrew Dodt is just two strokes back. The Northern Irishman looked out of sorts as he carded a two-over-par 74 in wet conditions on Thursday. The world number two was having difficulty off the tee with his driver and managed just two birdies in his opening round. After starting at the 10th he carded bogeys at 11 and 12, before gaining one back with a birdie at the 338-yard par-four 13th. A bogey at the 18th (his ninth) saw him reach the turn in 38. He followed with seven straight pars, before another bogey at the 552-yard par-five eighth. A birdie at the ninth, his final hole, provided little comfort for the two-time major winner, who lamented his loss of form. “At the moment, no aspects of my game are strong and I&aposm just feeling a bit lost at the moment,” McIlroy, who finished 14 over par at the US Open earlier this month, said. “It feels good on the range and I can hit all the shots but when I get out on the course it really does not seem to be there. “Off the tee, I am missing one right and then missing one left and it&aposs just not going where I want it. It gets you in two minds every time you are playing a tee shot.” Sweden&aposs Floren carded his best score of the season after a wonderfully crafted six-under-par 66 saw him take the outright lead. In a bogey-free round the 29-year-old holed four birdies and an eagle at the 13th to lead from a group of five players who are tied second on five under. Floren has failed to record a finish higher than 25th this season but was happy with the consistency shown in his opening round. “I played great today,” he said. “It was nice to get off to a good start today. I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, and eventually a few putts are going to drop.” Home favourite Shane Lowry is one shot off the pace alongside Dutchman Joost Luiten, American Peter Uihlein, Norther Irishman Michael Hoey and France&aposs Jean-Baptiste Gonnet. Lowry, who won the tournament in 2009, was clubhouse leader before Floren finished his round. He started at the 10th as he partnered McIlroy on the opening day. He did not make the best of starts to his round after bogeying the 10th (his first) but sank three birdies in a row from the 13th before adding another at the 18th to reach the turn at three under. A solid back nine saw him pick up two more shots to leave him well in contention. “I got off to a shaky enough start, bogey on 10 which wasn&apost ideal but I knew my golf was good enough coming into the week and (I am) really happy with the way I followed that up,” Lowry said. “It&aposs a massive tournament. Any big tournament as big as this, I&aposm up for it. Definitely I was forward to it all week.” Englishman Paul Casey and Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal are alongside Dodt in a tie for seventh at four under, while Australian Daniel Gaunt shares 34th at minus one. Of the other Australians competing, Brett Rumford is at level par, while Richard Green (+2) and Scott Arnold (+3) are further back.
Author: Omnisport