Rory McIlroy said it is “sort of embarrassing” that his opening 71 at the Masters is his best first round at Augusta since 2018.
The 34-year-old is this week seeking to win the one major that has eluded him and become just the sixth man to secure golf’s career grand slam.
His one under par round on Thursday was his best start to the tournament for six years.
“That’s sort of embarrassing if it is, but that’s a good thing,” he said.
McIlroy ended the day five shots behind playing partner Scottie Scheffler with leader Bryson DeChambeau one further ahead.
“I kept it together,” McIlroy said. “I stuck to my game plan.
“Didn’t birdie two of the par 5s on the back, which was a little disappointing. But getting in in red numbers was decent.
“It was a little scrappy. The conditions are tricky. Hard to fully commit to shots out there at times. It’s hard to commit to where the wind direction is at times.
“But yeah, I think after the slow start sort of making a few birdies around the turn was good.
“A little wasteful coming in. I had a good chance for birdie on 15 in the middle of the fairway and didn’t take that. Missed a shortish one on 16 and then the bogey on 17.
“Probably turned a three under into a one under there at the end. But overall still not a bad score, and obviously a lot of golf left to play.”
On playing with world number one Scheffler, McIlroy said he was impressed by the 2022 winner’s bogey-free round.
“When they’re playing with you it’s hard not to notice,” he said.
“Scottie does such a good job of, it doesn’t look like it’s six-under-par, and then at the end of the day, it’s six-under par. He’s just so efficient with everything.
“If you look at Scottie compared to the rest of the field, the amount of bogey-free rounds he plays and he shoots is phenomenal.
“And that’s the secret to winning major championships and winning big-time golf tournaments, it’s more limiting the mistakes rather than making a ton of birdies.
“I made three bogeys today, which is fine out there in these conditions, but just need to tidy it up a little bit to try to keep up with him.”
McIlroy is scheduled to begin his second round at 6:48 PM BST.
