McIlroy bounces back in Kuala Lumpur after his Masters misery

RORY McIlroy made a solid return to action after his Masters heartache but it is Sweden’s Alexander Noren who leads the way after the opening round of the Malaysian Open at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

McIlroy, who threw away a four-shot lead during the final round at Augusta, carded a three-under-par 69 to end the day in a tie for ninth as part of a group that includes 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.

The Northern Irishman, who had lost his clubs en route from America to Malaysia, had started brilliantly with birdies at the second, fourth and fifth.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The only blemish of McIlroy’s round was a bogey at the par-four 14th but he picked up another shot with a three at the 17th.

Charl Schwartzel, the man who took advantage of McIlroy’s collapse to secure the green jacket, did not enjoy such a good day and could only post a one-over score of 73. The South African started at the 10th and bogeyed the 11th, 13th and 16th before staging a recovery of sorts on the front nine by picking up shots at the second and third.

But that was only good enough to leave him nine shots adrift of Noren, who dropped just one shot as he secured a two-shot lead with an eight-under-par round of 64.

The Swede, another player to start at the 10th, birdied his first three holes before bogeying the 14th. But he picked up further shots at the 16th, 17th, first, third, fifth and ninth to leave him clear of Italian teenager Matteo Manassero.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Manassero had held the clubhouse lead after his 66, posting eight birdies and two bogeys and he is a shot clear of a three-strong group at five under which includes Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher.

Noren admitted he was slightly surprised by the quality of his putting but felt a recent break had done him the world of good. “I was really nervous going into this round. I don’t know why. I’m normally nervous after a little break,” he said.

“I had two weeks off and I worked a lot harder on my game these two weeks than before. I really felt coming in that you only play one round and it didn’t feel the same.

“I started off holing a nice putt on 10, 11 and 12 and thought ‘what’s going on’? I had bogey on 14 and then I managed to putt well. My putter was great today.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“After that my driver was steady then it was all about getting it close enough.

“I felt lucky at times when they kept rolling in but you have to have that sometimes. I holed a lot from six over seven metres.”

Simon Dyson was the leading Yorkshireman after a round of 70, one better than Sheffield’s Danny Willett and four better than Harrogate’s John Parry.

Related topics: