Despite his struggles, McIlroy remained optimistic about his chances moving forward in the tournament.
It’s a tough test out there, but I’ll go and work on a few things this afternoon and hopefully come out tomorrow and play a bit better,” he said.
The four-time major champion will need a strong performance in the second round to make the cut and give himself a chance at redemption in the final two rounds of The Open at Royal Troon.
I just need to tidy up the mistakes and be more consistent with my shots. Hopefully, I can turn it around and make the cut for the weekend.”