Rory McIlroy forgetting how to make putts leads the 2026 Open Championship storylines after round one

McIlroy's Putting Woes Resurface at 2026 Open Championship

Rory McIlroy forgetting how to make - While the golf world has largely moved past Rory McIlroy's historical struggles in major championships following his consecutive Masters victories in 2025 and 2026, those familiar with his career remember the pattern. The Northern Irishman has captured two of golf's four major titles recently, yet his success outside Augusta National remains limited. Since his last major triumph in 2014, McIlroy has only added the Masters to his collection, leaving fans wondering about his potential for additional victories in the sport's most prestigious events.

The 2024 U.S. Open stands as perhaps the most painful recent example of McIlroy's major championship challenges. He watched his lead disappear after accumulating three bogeys across the final four holes of that tournament, ultimately falling one shot short of victory against Bryson DeChambeau. Analysis revealed that McIlroy's inability to convert short putts played a crucial role in that collapse, with notable misses including a 2 1/2-footer on the 16th hole and another attempt from within four feet on the 18th.

Those same putting difficulties resurfaced during Thursday's opening round of the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. McIlroy found himself missing putts from inside four feet on consecutive holes seven and eight, then added another short putt failure on hole ten. The struggles continued as he missed six putts from within twelve feet across his first twelve holes, before finally draining an impressive twenty-three-foot birdie attempt on hole thirteen.

The round proved to be a roller coaster for the former world number one. He surrendered his birdie advantage with a careless bogey on the par-5 fourteenth hole, then immediately responded with a precise twelve-foot birdie on the fifteenth. Unfortunately, another sloppy bogey followed on the seventeenth, another par-5 at Royal Birkdale. This pattern of playing the par-5s in two-over par is uncommon for McIlroy, yet it materialized on Thursday. After missing yet another putt from inside twelve feet on the seventeenth, bringing his total to eight for the round, he closed with a birdie on the eighteenth hole.

McIlroy ultimately posted a two-over 72, placing him seven shots behind the leader after eighteen holes. If he hopes to make the weekend cut, he has significant work ahead of him.

Suber Shines in Open Debut

While established stars navigated their challenges, 26-year-old American Jackson Suber delivered a performance that announced his arrival on golf's biggest stage. The relatively unknown player qualified for The Open by securing a tie for fourth place at the RBC Canadian Open, and he repaid that faith with the day's lowest round at Royal Birkdale.

According to Data Golf statistics, Suber gained more than six strokes on the field during his opening round. His 65 gave him a one-shot advantage over Daniel Brown and Sungjae Im, who both shot matching 66s. This represents unfamiliar territory for Suber, who has only participated in two previous major championships. He missed the cut at this year's U.S. Open and finished in 73rd place at the 2024 U.S. Open.

Despite his limited major experience, Suber has demonstrated consistent improvement on the PGA Tour throughout 2026. Since May began, he has recorded four top-20 finishes, including a solo fourth place at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, the aforementioned tie for fourth at the RBC Canadian Open, and a tie for sixth at the John Deere Classic. The pressure of holding a major championship lead differs considerably from chasing positions, and observers will watch closely to see how Suber handles this new challenge.

Championship Contenders Navigate Opening Round

World number one Scottie Scheffler offered insight into his performance after shooting a 68 in the opening round. The American felt his play exceeded what his score suggested, which bodes poorly for competitors in Southport this weekend. Despite finishing two-under par and sitting inside the top twenty, Scheffler acknowledged he could have posted a lower number.

Scheffler began Thursday with the hottest start among all players, converting birdie opportunities on four of his first six holes. However, momentum shifted as the round progressed. He recorded two bogeys while failing to add another birdie during the remainder of his round. Similar to McIlroy, Scheffler struggled with short putts at critical moments, missing a five-footer on hole eleven and a 4 1/2-footer on hole seventeen. Should those putts begin dropping again, as they did early in his round, Scheffler remains a formidable threat.

Bryson DeChambeau experienced a different narrative entirely. The American finally found his rhythm with a strong opening round performance. DeChambeau shared the lead until a bogey on his final hole cost him the outright advantage. Playing alongside Scheffler, he posted a three-under 67, finishing one shot ahead of the world number one.

This performance marked DeChambeau's best major round of 2026 by a significant margin. He had failed to shoot under par in any of his six major championship rounds this year, and after missing the cut in each of the first three majors, he now appears positioned for a weekend of competitive golf.

In the afternoon session, world number four Cameron Young contributed to an exciting leaderboard situation with a 67. His round placed him in a logjam of nine players currently tied for fourth position. The Open Championship features an intriguing mix of established champions and emerging talents, setting the stage for compelling weekend action at Royal Birkdale.