McIlroy battles blustery Irish Open conditions as Niemann leads

Dublin witnessed fierce winds at the Irish Open on Thursday as Rory McIlroy struggled to keep pace with leader Joaquin Niemann. McIlroy, defending his title and aiming for his first win since the 2023 Masters, finished the opening round one-under par, four shots behind Niemann. The US President Donald Trump is expected to arrive for the tournament, which is hosted at McIlroy's resort in Doonbeg, County Clare.

McIlroy's round was hampered by the strong wind and slow pace, resulting in a double bogey on the 13th, his only dropped shot. Despite the challenging conditions, McIlroy remained optimistic, stating, "I hung in there, shot under par, and at least don't feel like I'm out of the tournament. A good day tomorrow gets me right back in it."

Niemann took the lead with a string of four consecutive birdies from the 14th hole. The Chilean player praised the course, saying, "It's a really tricky course and a really fun golf course to play with, especially with the Irish weather." Niemann's lead was further solidified as delays due to the weather forced some players to return early on day two.

Home favorite Shane Lowry is among the five players, two shots behind Niemann, after posting a 67. Adrian Meronk, Maximilian Steinlechner, and Renato Paratore also finished at three-under when their rounds were cut short by fading light. Jon Rahm, appearing on the DP World Tour for the first time in several months, finished the day level par, raising speculation about his future after LIV Golf's bankruptcy.