Mastering St. Andrews
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland has tied the major championship record by shooting a 9-under 63 in the opening round of the British Open.
The 21-year-old got rolling today with an eagle at the par-4 ninth, where he drove the green and rolled in the putt. He then made six birdies on the homeward holes, posting a 30 that tied the back-nine record at the Open.
McIlroy became the 22nd player in golf history to shoot 63 in a major championship. Greg Norman and Vijay Singh have done it twice, and the last player to do it was Tiger Woods at the 2007 PGA Championship.
The early starters took advantage of nearly perfect scoring conditions — little wind and only a sprinkling of rain. The sun even popped out just as McIlroy was finishing.
One of those starters was John Daly, who, trading his mullet for a wacky outfit, rekindled memories of his stunning win at the Old Course in 1995.
The trouble-plagued golfer shot a 6-under 66 today, equaling the best round of his British Open career.
No one made a bolder fashion statement, either. Daly wore lavender paisley pants, a sky blue sleeveless sweater, a peach shirt and a turquoise cap. None of it matched. Not that it mattered.
Strolling the course puffing on a cigarette and carrying a diet soda, Daly posted his best score since a 66 at Royal St. George in 1993. It could have been a lot better, too — four putts lipped out or caught the edge of the cup, including one that spun 180 degrees around the back of the 12th hole to end a streak of four straight birdies.
Could it be '95 all over again?
That year, Daly managed to put aside the problems that have marred his career — everything from too much alcohol to too much money squandered — and captured his second major championship, beating Costantino Rocca in a playoff with a mop of blond hair that was much longer than it is now.
"It's a golf course, I don't know, I just love it. I don't know why," said Daly, who was tied for the clubhouse lead with Scotland's Andrew Coltart. "It suits my game. Just a special, special place."
But that score wasn't likely to hold up on a surprisingly warm day with little wind off St. Andrews Bay and only a sprinkling of rain. A number of players stripped off their jackets and played in short sleeves.
Tiger Woods wasted no time getting on the leaderboard. The world's top-ranked player, still seeking his first win since a sex scandal gave his reputation a beating, was 5 under with five holes still to play.
Woods is seeking his fourth Open title and 15th major championship, which would leave him only three shy of Jack Nicklaus' career record. And, of course, Woods won the last two British championships played at St. Andrews, romping to dominating wins in 2000 and 2005.
