Erratic Scheffler and McIlroy in major mix as five share lead at The Open

Scottie Scheffler overcame an erratic driving display to get within a shot of the early lead at The 153rd Open, as Rory McIlroy stayed in contention after an eventful opening round at Royal Portrush.

Scheffler found just three fairways off the tee but mixed five birdies with two bogeys during an opening-round 68, leaving the world No 1 on three under as five players shared top spot on a congested leaderboard.

Jacob Skov Olesen set the initial clubhouse target and was soon matched by China's Haotong Li, one of only two bogey-free rounds on Thursday, with Matt Fitzpatrick, Harris English and Christian Bezuidenhout also getting to four under.

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Scheffler was joined a shot back by English duo Matt Jordan and Tyrrell Hatton, with Grand Slam champion McIlroy within three of the lead as he chases a historic victory on home soil and second major win of the year.

McIlroy's one-under 70 was nine strokes better than he managed during his missed cut in the 2019 contest, held at the same venue, with the 36-year-old hitting only two fairways but registering five birdies to delight the record crowds in Northern Ireland.

McIlroy makes steady start after 2019 nightmare

McIlroy avoided a repeat of going out of bounds at the par-four first like 2019 but opened with a nervy three-putt bogey, missing a putt from inside four feet, then bounced back with two birdies in his next three holes.

The world No 2 took advantage of the par-five seventh despite continuing to struggle with a left-miss off the tee, while he started his back nine with an eight-foot birdie to temporarily move alongside Scheffler and within a shot of the logjam at the top of the leaderboard.

McIlroy posted back-to-back bogeys and then fell further behind with a dropped shot at the 14th, with the home favourite having to hole from 12 feet to save par at the 15th before producing a late rally with a penultimate-hole birdie.

"Overall happy with the start, very solid," McIlroy told Sky Sports. "I felt like I was chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the day. To play those last four holes in one under and shoot under par was great.

"I had it going there for the first 10 holes and as we turned for home, the wind started to pick up a bit and the course did get very difficult in those cross winds. I was on the bogey train there for a bit but steadied the ship with a really good par then played the last three holes well."

Scheffler also struggled off the tee but birdied two of his last three holes in a three-under 68, while English trip Lee Westwood, Aaron Rai and Justin Rose - alongside Li as the other bogey-free starter - are all within two of the lead.

Mixed fortunes for golf's big names

A star-studded leaderboard sees McIlroy joined on one under by 2013 champion Phil Mickelson, 2019 winner Shane Lowry and former world No 1 Jon Rahm, with just three shots splitting the top 31 players.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele stuttered to a level-par 71 and Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin sits a further shot back, while Ryder Cup stars Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg and Tommy Fleetwood all sit outside the projected cut after opening-round 73s.

The 2017 champion Jordan Spieth also sits six back, while Padraig Harrington - who birdied his opening hole after getting the tournament under way at 6.35am struggled to a four-over 75.

Former major champions Brooks Koepka and Collin Morikawa are among the others sitting on four over, as Bryson DeChambeau faces a battle to avoid back-to-back major missed cuts after failing to find a birdie in his opening-round 78.

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