Defending champion Rory McIlroy trails leader Joaquin Niemann by four shots following a turbulent opening round at the Irish Open. The world number two carded a one-under-par 69 at Doonbeg, battling high winds and sporadic rain at the Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in County Clare.
Niemann, playing for LIV Golf, surged to the top of the leaderboard with a six-under-par 64. The Chilean tally six birdies and just one dropped shot, fueled by a streak of four consecutive birdies from the 14th through the 17th holes.
McIlroy, the back-to-back Masters champion, is seeking a third Irish Open title to equal legends Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, and Colin Montgomerie. He previously won at the K Club in 2016 and again in 2025. His round included birdies at the second and fourth holes, a recovery at the 15th, but also a costly double-bogey on the 13th after he took two shots to escape a greenside bunker.
A quartet of players shares the second place, three shots off the lead: Ireland’s Shane Lowry, South Africa’s Shaun Norris, Italy’s Renato Panatore, Austria’s Maximilian Steinlechner, and Poland’s Adrian Meronk. Panatore, Steinlechner, and Meronk were forced to pause their rounds due to fading light and must complete their opening 18 holes on Friday morning.
Slow play throughout the day, exacerbated by the inclement weather, created challenges for later starters. Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, Scotland’s Conor Syme, and Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed all sit at two under par. Two-time Irish Open champion Jon Rahm could only manage a level-par 70.
Among the world’s most famous names, results were mixed. Brooks Koepka stumbled early with a triple bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the second, leaving him at five over par. He faces the prospect of a second successive missed cut if he does not improve significantly on Friday. Sergio Garcia also struggled, finishing three shots further back at seven over. European Ryder Cup player Tyrrell Hatton endured a difficult start, ending the day at eight over par.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre was the only home hope in red figures, sitting at two over, while England’s Lee Donald finished at three over.
Panatore and Meronk finishing Friday morning feels unfair. Weather delays ruined their rhythm when they needed it most.
Is anyone else surprised Koepka is five over after that horror start? Two consecutive misses cut would be brutal for his season.
Rory needs to stop losing shots from greenside bunkers in these conditions. That double on 13 was expensive against the wind.
Niemann’s surge on the back nine was absolutely brutal. Doonbeg is playing like a links championship course today.