Dec 4 (Reuters) – Mexican Carlos Ortiz produced a late surge to grab a share of the lead with Elvis Smylie and Ryan Fox after a six-under-par 65 in Thursday’s opening round of the Australian Open, while Rory McIlroy struggled in blustery conditions at Royal Melbourne, finishing with a one-over 72.
Smylie, 23, son of former Australian tennis player Elizabeth Smylie, delighted home fans with seven birdies against a lone bogey. New Zealand’s Fox matched the leading score in the event co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, with eight birdies and two bogeys.
“The winds are a big factor today,” Smylie said.
“I felt like I did a good job at using my creativity and my imagination with flighting a lot of really nice shots and then always making sure I’m leaving it on the right side of the hole.”
Ortiz’s highlight was an eagle on the 17th hole after six birdies and two bogeys.
“You had to respect the golf course and I think I did a great job on that,” Ortiz said. “We planned it around, we just tried to put in play, be smart, hit greens, and we were lucky enough to make some good putts.”
Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen carded a four-under 67 to sit two strokes back alongside France’s Clement Charmasson and Scotland’s Cameron Adam.
MCILROY TESTED
McIlroy, a five-times major winner and 2013 Australian Open champion at Royal Sydney, managed five birdies but was undone by six bogeys in his first return to Royal Melbourne since 1991, disappointing the large crowds who came to see him.
“It was a wonderful atmosphere … really cool to see how many people were lining the fairways and framing the greens,” McIlroy said, noting how tricky the conditions were.
“I limited the damage and hopefully conditions are a little better over the next few days.”
The 36-year-old Northern Irishman faltered with bogeys in the first, fourth, seventh, 11th, 12th and 16th holes.
“I need to putt better,” said McIlroy, who blew hot and cold throughout the day.
“Holed some good ones. I think I was better from outside 25 feet than I was from inside five, so work on that a little bit. I made enough birdies, but I just need to limit the mistakes a little bit.
“It was good to get one round done and not feel like I’m too far back.”
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Ed Osmond)
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