Rory McIlroy struggled with his putting during the first round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, carding a two-over-par 72. Despite the disappointing start, McIlroy remains optimistic about his chances in the tournament. He acknowledged his putting performance as a “horror show” but is focused on making a strong comeback. McIlroy aims to mount an early charge on Friday to close the seven-shot gap separating him from the current leaders. The Northern Irishman intends to leverage his ball-striking ability to improve his position on the leaderboard. He recognizes the need for a significantly better putting performance to contend for the title. McIlroy hopes a fast start to the second round will reignite his challenge.