The Open: McIlroy off to a superb start as he bids for second Claret Jug
Rory McIlroy is off and flying in his bid to win his first major in eight years.
He begins Day Two of the Open at St Andrews on 6 under par - just a shot off Cameron Young's clubhouse lead.
The Holywood star, who is now the World's Number Two-ranked player, is now perfectly poised to be in the mix to pick up his second Claret Jug.
Elsewhere, Darren Clarke is unlikely to make the cut after finishing his opener on 7 over par while Padraig Harrington was 3 under and 2019 winner Shane Lowry on even par.
Meanwhile, four-time major winner, McIlroy, admitted this week therefore felt like the title defence he never had and he enjoyed an ideal start, holing from 55 feet for birdie on the first and making seven in total in his 66, the same score he shot to begin his wire-to-wire victory at Hoylake.
In stark contrast, 15-time major winner Tiger Woods had covered his first nine holes in five over, making a double bogey on the first after hitting his approach - from a fairway divot - into the Swilcan Burn short of the green.
An opening 73 in April's Masters meant McIlroy had been a combined 35 over par in the first round of majors since last winning one in the 2014 US PGA, but since then he has started with a 65 in the US PGA, a 67 in the US Open and Thursday's 66.
"Yeah, fantastic start," McIlroy said. "Just what you hope will happen when you're starting off your week. I did everything that you're supposed to do around St Andrews.
"I birdied the holes I should have and I made pars at the holes where you're looking to make a par and move to the next tee, so overall really pleased.
"It's another good start at a major, three in a row for me now, and I'm looking forward to the next few days."
McIlroy is well aware that he has failed to turn those good starts into overdue wins, a third round of 74 doing the damage in the US PGA and a 73 at the same stage of the US Open proving equally costly.
"I need to go out tomorrow and back up what I just did today. I think that's important to do," he said.
"I've been playing well, I've been swinging the club well, and I think it's better if I don't think about it that much and I just go out and play golf and try to shoot some good scores on one of my favourite golf courses in the world."
The parched conditions at St Andrews meant McIlroy was able to reduce the 614-yard 14th hole to a drive - which went around 400 yards - and a wedge, and he added: "It's the fiddliest Open that I've played.
"Carnoustie was firm in 2018 but it wasn't like this. I think as the tournament progresses, you're going to get some funny bounces and it's going to test your patience at times.
"Fiddly hasn't really been my forte over the years, but I'm hopefully going to make it my forte this week."