Despite being last off Sunday at the Genesis Scottish Open, Rory McIlroy made sure he was first off Monday at Royal Portrush.
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DespitebeinglastoffSundayattheGenesisScottishOpen,RoryMcIlroymadesurehewasfirstoffMondayatRoyalPortrush.
Itprovedawisedecision.
Thesemajorpracticeroundscanbeaslog,soMcIlroytradedtheextrasleepfora6:40a.m.localstartingtimetobeginhisOpenChampionshipprep.Playingasasolo,McIlroywasaloneontheHarryColtlayoutfornearlytwohoursbeforeotherplayersteedoff,andshortlybeforenoon,McIlroywassigningautographsforthefansbehindthe18thgreen.Thenthehornsounded,andwhileothershadtheirpracticeroundssuspendedbecauseofinclementweather,McIlroyhadplentyoftimetoeatandrelaxbeforehis2p.m.presser.
“Thelastcoupleofmajors,atthePGAandtheU.S.Open,thepracticeroundstakesolong,”McIlroysaid.“Ifeellikethere’s50peopleinsidetheropesallthetime.IfeellikeIjustcan’tgetgoodworkdone,goodpreparation.Ididn’tcomeuphereaheadoftimetotryandgetacoupleofpracticeroundsin,soIjustwantedtogetoutearly,sortofbeattherus


