Rory McIlroy was satisfied with his level par 72 in the opening round of his first US Masters, but feels he and his fellow debutants were hampered by their late start at Augusta. The 19-year-old Ulsterman was grouped with 23-year-old American Anthony Kim and Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa (17) in the final three-ball and though he coped better than his playing partners he remains seven off the pace set by Chad Campbell.
"I just played myself into the round," said McIlroy, who mixed two birdies with a pair of bogeys. "Par golf in a major championships is usually pretty good.
"I hit a lot of good shots which just missed greens and I was grinding to make pars.”
Ranked 17th in the world with a win at the Dubai Desert Classic along with three other top-five finishes, McIlroy admitted to a slight case of nerves but nothing like he experienced prior to winning the amateur title at the British Open at Carnoustie in 2007.
"Pádraig (Harrington) said it is almost easier to win a major than a normal tournament, as you don't have to play that well but just have to stay patient. Keep grinding out pars," he said.
“I wasn’t as nervous as I was standing on the first tee at Carnoustie in my first major, but I still had a few butterflies.”
The Holywood golfer has already showed form on the PGA Tour with top 20 finishes in each of his three starts, leading some to tip him to become the first debutant to win at Augusta since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
He will welcome the earlier start today after tackling the course late in the day yesterday.
“I think we were playing a different course to the guys in the morning as it got really crusty and tricky,” he said. “In the end 72 is a pretty good day. I haven’t shot myself out of it.”
World number one Tiger Woods, playing in the group ahead of McIlroy, was deep in the pack at level par after 12, but had three birdies in a row before going long with his approach to the last and playing a poor chip.
“I let a couple of shots slip away, but I was happy with how I hit the ball,” he said. “The guys were tearing the place apart and you could definitely go get it. It was reminiscent of how it used to be.
“I didn’t make anything the first eight holes, but I hung in there and it’s not like I haven’t been in this position before - you’ve just got to stay patient,” said the American, who finished on two under with a 70.
