McIlroy Open US with 72

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Rory McIlroy endured another frustrating day with the putter as he opened his US Open campaign with an erratic two-over 72 at Chambers Bay.

The world No 1 was in good touch from tee to green, but he failed to convert a number of birdie chances as he struggled to get to grips with the mottled putting surfaces.

McIlroy did get an early putt to drop for birdie at the 11th - his second - although he dropped shots at 14 and 15 before getting back to level par with a fine approach at the next and a putt to match.

Several further opportunities went begging as he parred the next eight holes, and his frustration got the better of him when he bogeyed two of the last three to slide seven shots off the lead.

But the 2011 champion refused to blame the poor quality of the green for his performance and insisted the course was set up "fair" for the tournament. 

"They are not the best I have putted on but I should be used to it as the last two tournaments I've played have been just as bad," said McIlroy, who missed the cut in both the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and Irish Open at Royal County Down.

"I felt like I played well tee to green and gave myself a lot of looks but did not take advantage of the good shots I was hitting. There were a couple of misreads and a couple of bad strokes in there as well.

"It's hard to pick the line and trust it and then you start making tentative strokes and you are not getting a true roll on the ball. I need to work on that before tomorrow's round and see if I can figure something out."

McIlroy's Ryder Cup team-mate Henrik Stenson shared the early clubhouse lead with Dustin Johnson after both fired 65s, and the Northern Irishman added: "It was set up fair and you see some of the scores that are already in. There are definitely scores in the mid-60s are out there.

"It re-iterates what I was thinking, which is that you can be very aggressive with your tee shots. It's not a typical US Open where you are playing a game of chess."

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G''Day for Spieth as McIlroy Slips

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Rory McIlroy signed for a final round 72 and had to settle for fifteenth place at the Emirates Australian Open Golf in Sydney on Sunday. The costly battle with the fescue grass on Saturday the damage on his card and leaving him well out of contention after he finished with a 76.

Jordan Spieth played the best round of an already impressive career with an 8-under 63 on Sunday to win the Australian Open by six strokes, making his first trip Down Under a successful one.

Spieth's 72-hole total of 13-under 271 on the tough, windy Australian Golf Club made him the first American to win the Australian Open since Brad Faxon in 1993, when the 21-year-old Spieth was four months old.

"It's the best round I have ever played, especially considering the conditions," Spieth said. "It was just kind of one of those rounds when you're in the zone and you're not sure what you're at. It's nice that it came on a Sunday."

Spieth birdied four holes on the front nine -- three of them in a row -- to lead by three strokes after nine holes, then made light of the challenging, windy conditions by adding four more on the back nine, never threatening to lose his lead.

"You don't want any kind of crack in the door to be open and I felt like we kept it shut from the front nine on," Spieth said.

Spieth's score was a record for the revamped Jack Nicklaus-designed layout which was being played as a par 71 for the first time. On Friday, Jamie Lovemarkof the United States shot 65.

Adam Scott shot 71 and finished fifth, nine strokes behind. Defending champion Rory McIlroy, who shot 76 on Saturday, finished with a 72 and was 2-over, 15 strokes behind Spieth.

Three Australians who finished closest to Spieth earned trips to next July's British Open. The Australian Open is the first qualifying tournament for the 2015 Open Championship and offers three spots to the top finishers not already exempt.

Rod Pampling shot 68 to finish second, while former two-time Australian Open champion Greg Chalmers (71) and Brett Rumford (70) were third and fourth, respectively. All three will play at St. Andrews next year.

Gusty northeasterly breezes played havoc all week with scores, and only eight players finished under par.

Chalmers and Spieth were tied for the lead at 6-under after four holes, but Spieth birdied the par-5 fifth where Chalmers made bogey for a two-shot swing. The American also birdied the sixth and seventh holes, made a fine par save on the ninth, then did the same on the 10th from about five feet, pumping his fist as he edged closer to the title and the Stonehaven Cup trophy.

It was Spieth's first win of 2014, and second of his pro career -- he won on the John Deere Classic in a playoff on the PGA Tour in 2013. Although he hadn't won this year, he was runner-up in the Masters and had eight top-10 finishes in 24 PGA tournaments.

He was reminded that last year's Australian Open win by McIlroy was his only victory that year, and the Northern Irishman went on to win two majors and have an outstanding 2014.

"If I had the follow-up year that Rory had this year, I'd be pleased this time next year," Spieth said.

McIlroy's 76 all but ended the defense of the title he memorably won in 2014 with a birdie on the last hole to deny Scott the Australian Triple Crown.

"It's been tough all weekend," McIlroy said. "I was trying to get something going but with the pin positions and the wind, it was just very hard to get the ball close to the hole. It just wasn't meant to be this year."

There were tributes around the golf course Saturday and Sunday for Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died Thursday after being hit by a ball during a match at the nearby Sydney Cricket Ground.

The number 63 was used in many of them, as that was the number of runs Hughes had scored before he was fatally injured. Spieth provided the final reminder -- and an unintentional tribute -- by finishing with a round of 63.

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McIlroy Defence Suffers in Sydney

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Rory McIlroy's defence of his Emirates Australian Open title - to join Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Greg Norman as the only players to win back-to-back opens - took a enormous jolt today after a round of 76.

The Northern Irishman, who was tied at the top of the leaderboard with Rod Pampling, American Jordan Spieth, Brett Rumford and Greg Chalmers as he played the ninth of the third round, blocked his drive in the thick fescue grass on the right side of the fairway.

He could have declared his ball unplayable, but he attempted the possible of a challenge that looked impossible. 

An enormous swipe at the ball failed to dislodge, in fact, it became even deeper in the mulga.

Then, he finally took his medicine and took a two club-length penalty drop. It didn’t give him full relief off the wood chip surround of the fescue but he got it back into play.

So, four shots (one a penalty) already played. 

His next shot, a wedge from 60 metres, found the green about six metres from the pin. He two-putted for a triple bogey seven.

Suddenly, inexplicably, he was three shots off the lead. It is understood rules officials will review the incident before a triple bogey is confirmed.

Scott picked up two shots on the front nine to be four-under-par for the championship, just one behind Spieth and Pampling, who holed out for a spectacular eagle two at the par-4 10th.

Spieth collected back-to-back birdies early in his round to lead for much of his front nine before Pampling joined him with his pinpoint wedge.

After starting moving day three behind Chalmers, Scott bookended his front nine with birdies to close to within one of the lead, while McIlroy was slower to get going.

The defending champion was unable to get up and down after hitting over the green on the tough par-3 fourth hole, but bounced back with a birdie on the par-4 fifth after almost holing his sand shot for an eagle.

Conditions at The Australian Golf Club were more difficult on Saturday, with blustery winds proving troublesome.

The biggest movers came from the morning wave, with Daniel Nisbet charging up the leaderboard into equal 12th position at even par for the championship with a bogey-free four-under 67.

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McIlroy Stays In Mix Down Under

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Rory McIlroy stayed bang in contention and Adam Scott made a big move on the second day of the Emirates Australian Open.

McIlroy sits tied for second behind halfway leader Greg Chalmers at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney but it was Scott who made the headlines after a poor start to the tournament on Thursday.

The world No 3 carded three birdies and an eagle in his round of 66 and that was enough to move him into a tie for ninth, just three shots off the pace being set by left-hander Chalmers.

"Yesterday I got off to a bad start, and I didn't scramble well when I had to and it started to get away from me," Scott said. "Today a couple of good shots coming up 14 and I made an eagle and momentum is on your side."

Chalmers, a dual winner of the event, also shot a second-round 66 which mixed in a couple of dropped shots with seven birdies and was just one worse than the best round of the day, a 65 from American Jamie Lovemark.

McIlroy played in tougher conditions in the afternoon group, and he had more than his share of problems in shooting a topsy-turvy round of 69.

The Open champion had three bogeys in his first seven holes and dropped three more shots on the way back to the clubhouse, but three birdies and an eagle in his last five saved the day.

"I felt like I had an opportunity today to maybe shoot a good one and put a little bit of space between myself and the rest of the field, but it didn't really pan out that way," said McIlroy, who twice found the water on his way around.

He sits in a four-way tie for second on four-under alongside Australia's Adam Crawford, Conrad Shindler from the Unitd States and home amateur Todd Sinnott, who was one of the day's stars with a round of 67.

First-round leader Jordan Spieth, who was in the same group as Scott, failed to take advantage of the better scoring conditions in a round of 72 that leaves him in a tie for sixth, one shot ahead of his playing partner - he had four bogeys and only saved his day with birdies at his final two holes.

"It was a struggle, big-time struggle," Spieth said. "I wasn't hitting it well. If I wasn't putting well I may have shot 45 on the back nine."

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McIlroy Opens in Sydney 2 Under

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Rory McIlroy's defense of his Australian Open title began with a 2-under 69 on a cool, overcast and often drizzly morning at The Australian Golf Club.

McIlroy, winner of back-to-back majors this year at the the Open Championship and PGA Championship, began play on the back nine and made the turn at even-par after a birdie and a bogey. He birdied the first hole of his second nine, added another at the par-5 fifth, but made bogey on the seventh.

He finished strongly, hitting his approach on the ninth to less than 2 feet and making an easy birdie. McIlroy was a stroke behind Australian Aron Price, who was the best of the morning groupings with a 68.

It was a day that almost made him feel at home, McIlroy said.

"It was cold, windy and a little bit of rain here and there," explained the Northern Irishman. "When I think of playing golf in Australia, it's not the kind of day I expected."

McIlroy said the wind was tricky and predicted it could get tougher for the afternoon starters.

"The wind was up early on, then it died, then got up again," he said.

McIlroy missed a 10-foot putt for birdie on the 12th hole -- his third of the day after starting on the back nine -- and fought to save par on the 13th after putting his approach through the green.

He birdied the short par-5 14th after a bunker shot to three feet, but gave the shot back on the next hole after a poor shot out of the sand on the par-3 15th on the revamped Jack Nicklaus layout.

"Three birdies on the back nine, a nice one at the end," he said. "I'll take anything in the 60s. I thought was a good score and puts me right there for tomorrow."

Adam Scott, who finished second in last year's tournament at Royal Sydney when McIlroy birdied the 18th hole of the final round, was in an afternoon group that included American Jordan Spieth.

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Rory Ready for Woods

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Rory McIlroy plays one last tournament the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods this week. The last event before in what has been a largely frustrating 2013 campaign.

But a win last Sunday at the Emirates Australian Open has given him the flavour of success once again and no doubt he would like to sign off on a triumphant note at Sherwood Country Club.

"I'm happy this is the last event of the year," McIlroy told reporters, "It will be nice to have a few weeks off.

"This last part of the season was all about trying to build momentum going into 2014, and I feel like for the most part I've done that.

"A couple of good finishes in Asia and I got a win in Australia. I'd love to get myself in the mix this week and finish the season off on a really high note."

Although McIlroy was delighted to end his title drought with a one-shot victory over Adam Scott at Royal Sunday Golf Club, he never felt he needed that win.

"Did I need the win? Probably not," McIlroy said. "Was it nice to get the win? Of course. But I felt like I saw enough good golf in there to know that it was very close, and it wasn't going to be long before I did win.

"Regardless of the results, I knew that my game was coming around, and that was the most important thing. What I was happy with the most was the limited amount of times that I have gotten in contention this year, I have played well.

"I have played well down the stretch. I've played well under pressure, and that is something that I really have improved on the last few years."

"I'm very hard on myself," said the 24-year-old, who clinched his second major title by a record eight shots at last year's PGA Championship.

"I feel like I'm emotionally connected to my golf game in terms of, if I play bad, I'll be in a bad mood. If I play well, I'll be in a good mood. The way I play golf shouldn't determine who I am as a person.

"That's sort of carried through not just in my golf game, it's just how I am, my demeanour and everything. That's something I feel like I've gotten better at and something I need to continue to get better at."

Asked if he was prepared for Thursday's opening round at Sherwood, McIlroy smiled: "Yeah, I'm in a great mood. I'm happy."

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Wizard of Oz Still Number 6

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Rory McIlroy remains at No. 6 in the latest Official World Golf Ranking released on Monday and unaffected by his last hole win at the Emirates Australian Open in Sydney. Only 32 world-ranking points were available to the winner at Royal Sydney, so McIlroy remained more than .64 average points behind No. 5 Justin Rose.

Adam Scott moved ever closer to the world No. 1, Tiger Woods, after his blitz through the Australian triple crown. 

After wins at the Australian PGA and Australian Masters, followed by a third-place finish at the World Cup and at the Australian Open, Scott is now 1.7 points behind Woods  - the closest he has ever been to topping the rankings. 

The only movement in the top 10 was No. 10 Jason Day, who swapped places with Jason Dufner after a T-6 finish at the Australian Open. 

Charl Schwartzel jumped from No. 21 to No. 18 with his successful defense of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Hideki Matsuyama moved from No. 25 to No. 23 after his victory at the Japan Tour’s Casio World Open. 

The rest of the top 10: Woods, Scott, Henrik Stenson, Phil Mickelson, Rose, McIlroy, Matt Kuchar, Steve Stricker, Brandt Snedeker and Day.

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Rory McIlroy Feels Guilt

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Rory McIlroy showed sympathy for Adam Scott after snatching the Australian Open title from under his nose.

Scott was seeking a rare Australian triple crown, after winning the PGA and Masters titles, and he had been in front for just about the whole tournament at Royal Sydney.

But a couple of mistakes at the 72nd hole, combined with a McIlroy birdie, meant the Northern Irishman ended a year-long wait for a title.

He had started the day four strokes behind Scott and led for the only time when he holed his winning putt on the final green, Scott having been in command since opening with a round of 62.

"It's hard not to feel some sort of guilt in the way that I won it," said McIlroy, whose last win was in Dubai in November last year.

"Adam is a phenomenal golfer, a great competitor and probably an even better guy. I feel a bit sorry that I was the one that ruined the triple crown for him but I'm happy and Adam should be proud of himself. He's a credit to the game and to this country.

"It's been a frustrating year but I've worked hard and it's been a process, trying to get back to winning golf tournaments, and it was nice to do that today.

"I just sort of stayed patient, I knew that anything can happen on this golf course, if you just hit it into a tricky spot like Adam did on 18.

"Luckily I was just able to make that putt at the end when I needed it.

"It's a very prestigious tournament and I am honoured to have my name on the trophy. I'm sure there is a lot of proud people who watched that today.

"I think I am more experienced and more patient now. I'm not getting as down on myself or not being as hard on myself because golf is a long career and you can't have too many highs and lows in terms of emotions.

"You've just got to try and keep it on an even keel and I feel like I've done a better job of that this year as the months have gone past.

"You know you have to go through the lows. And I'm not saying it was a low this year, it's not like I plummeted off the face of the earth.

"I'm still sixth in the world so it's not too bad. It's not the level that I feel like I can play to but I feel I'm getting back there, so it's very pleasing."

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