Rory McIlroy tunes up for Open with his second lowest round of year

Rory McIlroy shot his joint-second lowest round of the year on Thursday as he made a morale-boosting start to his build-up for next month’s emotional Northern Ireland homecoming at The Open.

The world No 2 described his 64 in the first round of the Travelers Championship as “a tonic” and after last week’s torment at the US Open – and indeed his on-course struggles since winning the Masters in April – it is easy to understand why.

On Saturday at Oakmont he confessed that he had not really cared if he made the cut at the year’s third major and that his aim in the final round was simply to play in “a round in under 4½ hours and get out of here”.

In the event, he fired a fine 67 on the Sunday to achieve a back-door place in the top 20 and afterwards spoke of his eagerness to return across the pond.

McIlroy is due next week to move into a new home at Wentworth with wife Erica and daughter Poppy, before playing in the Scottish Open, the week before he tees it up at Royal Portrush.

At the Ulster links, just an hour north of Holywood, his hometown suburb in Belfast, he will show off the Green Jacket to his countryfolk for the first time before trying to lift his second Claret Jug.

McIlroy now feels confident of making that trip on a high. “This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it’s a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn’t quite as severe,” he said.

“I just want to see some good golf and see some better shots. If you concentrate on that and you’re concentrating on your quality of golf and concentrating on just trying to play to the best of your ability, the result will take care of itself. I’m just trying to play as good as I can and make good swings, and if I do that enough, more than likely I’ll find myself in a position to have a chance to win.”

McIlroy’s bogeyless morning at TPC River Highlands – which gave him an early share of second, two behind clubhouse leader Austin Eckroat – featured six birdies, the highlight of which was probably the three on the par-four 17th. There, after pulling his drive towards trouble, he nervelessly flew the lake guarding the green from 175 yards, before holing from 28 feet.

What made his effort in Connecticut all the more commendable was the fact that, for once, he was not the star of the show. His playing partner was US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who also posted a 64. “There was definitely a lot more ‘Captain America’ and ‘USA’ chants out there, which is cool,” McIlroy said. “It’s cool for Keegan to be here, be the US Ryder Cup captain and get all that support.”

Another on six-under is former US Open champion Wyndham Clark. The American earned his own negative headlines at Oakmont after causing damage in the locker room when in a rage over missing the cut. Clark offered an apology on Thursday but his comments also raised a few eyebrows.

“I made a mistake that I deeply regret – I’m very sorry for what happened,” he said. “But I’d also like to move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA [the US Golf Association, which organises the US Open], and kind of focus on the rest of this year.”