Rory McIlroy called on rules officials to use “common sense” after his group was given a slow play warning during the first round of the Irish Open on Thursday.
McIlroy, who was playing with Thriston Lawrence and Kristoffer Reitan, was frustrated after the warning at the K Club. The world No.2 finished the day five shots off the pace.
Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, France’s Romain Langasque and Spain’s Ignacio Elvira all hit six under-par 66 rounds to share the lead.
“In all honesty I felt a little rushed out there for the last 12 holes,” said the Northern Irishman, a five-time major winner who will also compete at this year’s Australian Open.
“We got put on the clock pretty early, and then the first official went away and then we were put on the clock for the last three holes to try to make time up.”
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McIlroy is the star attraction of the tournament and his group attracted big galleries and several camera crews, with the Northern Irishman feeling officials should use discretion when it comes to pace to play.
“It’s hard because you feel a bit rushed, you’re playing some tough holes and our group has to deal with a lot more than any other group on the course,” McIlroy said.
“So it’s understandable that we lose time and I feel like any time I either come back to Europe or I play in some of these like one, two, three in the world type groups, we’re always put on the clock for that reason.
“I got a little frustrated the last few holes because I feel like it always happens and I don’t think they use sort of common sense in terms of… well of course we’re going to lose ground because we’re going to have to wait on crowds and wait on the two camera crews that are out there.
“There’s just a lot more going on with our group than any of the other groups on the course, and sometimes I feel like they have to give us a little bit of leeway and use a bit of common sense.”
Rory McIlroy acknowledges the gallery during the Irish Open golf tournament, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, at The K Club in Straffan, Ireland. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)Source: AP
McIlroy was not helped by the struggles of South African Lawrence (81) and Norway’s Reitan (77), who both hit their ball into the water on the seventh hole.
“In my mind I’m like ‘should I go first to save a bit of time’ but not really, you can still wait your turn,” he said.
“It wasn’t really that, I guess it was more I just felt because it’s happened to me quite a lot before in these sorts of big groups who want to come back to Europe and play, I felt like I just let it agitate me a little bit.”
“…I felt like I played better than what the score reflects. I hit the ball well, I drove the ball well, just had that disappointing finish, bogeying two of the last three holes.”
England’s Daniel Brown, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger and France’s Adrien Saddier each posted rounds of 67.
Irishman Shane Lowry, who, along with McIlroy, is a member of Europe’s Ryder Cup team, carded three birdies in his last six holes to stay in touch with a 69 at the 7,441 yards K Club course near Dublin, where par is 72.
Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka matched McIlroy’s 71.
David Micheluzzi and Elvis Smylie were the best placed Australians, carding one-over 73s while European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald finished his first round with a five-over par 77.
