Rory McIlroy arrived in Melbourne with opinions, expectations, and a bit of swagger, but what he got on Thursday at Royal Melbourne was a bracing dose of humility delivered in 18 swirling, unpredictable holes. The course, famed for its fast-running fairways, treacherous bunkers, and devilish greens, answered McIlroy’s earlier dismissive comments with a round that seemed straight out of a cautionary tale.
Royal Melbourne Responds Loudly to McIlroy’s Doubts
Opening his tournament with a 1-over-par 72, McIlroy played the kind of round that evokes literary dualities: elegant birdies offset by clumsy bogeys, brilliance fading into blunders. It was, in his own words, “a roller coaster,” and one could argue that never has a ride through Royal Melbourne been so emblematic of its legendary bite. The winds didn’t whisper, they howled. Gusts reaching up to 60 kilometres per hour danced across the course, turning confident swings into coin flips and simple putts into treacherous adventures.
No Rhythm, Just Reaction in a Swirling Storm
Yet this wasn’t just about the weather. It was about rhythm, and McIlroy never quite found it. After starting on the 10th with a promising birdie, he quickly coughed up strokes with back-to-back bogeys. Every time he found a bit of momentum, it evaporated under the weight of misjudged approaches or three-putts. His final stumble came on the par-3 7th, his 16th of the day, where all three players in his group, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, and Min Woo Lee, walked away with bogeys, united in frustration.
Still, McIlroy’s performance, while unsteady, wasn’t devoid of fight. There was resilience behind every recovery shot and a sense of underlying poise, even as the leaderboard crept just beyond reach. He hasn’t played the Australian Open since 2015 and won it back in 2013, but if Thursday’s crowds were any indication, Australian fans haven’t forgotten what he brings to the game. “I couldn’t believe how many people were there,” he admitted.
With a Master’s Spot on the Line, There’s Still Everything to Play For
Ironically, the course McIlroy labelled as the city’s finest, Kingston Heath, won’t host this week’s drama. That role belongs to Royal Melbourne, a venue that, for one windy afternoon, offered a vivid rebuttal to the Race to Dubai champion’s critique. Whether McIlroy mounts a charge in calmer conditions remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Royal Melbourne doesn’t just test your game, it tests your judgment.
