Rory experiences a rollercoaster ride in golf during the first round of the Australian Open

At the Australian Open, Rory McIlroy described his first round as a real 'roller coaster'. He wasn't exaggerating. The Northern Irish golfer, who mentioned in the pre-tournament press conference that Royal Melbourne wasn't the best course in the city, had an up-and-down performance, carding six bogeys and five birdies, finishing with a 1-over-par 72, which leaves him seven strokes off the lead after the first round.

The conditions on the famed sandbelt course, which has hosted three Presidents Cup tournaments, played a significant role, especially with wind gusts up to 60 kilometers per hour (38 mph). “It was a rollercoaster day,” McIlroy commented. “Every time I made a birdie, a bogey followed. It wasn’t terrible. I got into some tricky spots and had a couple of three-putts. I limited the damage. Hopefully, the conditions will improve tomorrow.”

Incidentally, Kingston Heath, the course McIlroy considers the best in Melbourne, will host the Presidents Cup in 2028. The Race to Dubai winner is making his first appearance at the Australian Open since 2015, where he was crowned champion in 2013. He started his round on the 10th hole with a birdie, followed by two bogeys.

His erratic round continued with a sixth bogey on the 148-yard (135-meter) par-3 seventh hole, his 16th, though he was in good company, as playing partners Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee also made four bogeys. Both finished with 69s, four strokes behind the leader. The trio teed off at 7 a.m. and were watched by thousands of fans. “It was incredible, I couldn’t believe how many people were there,” McIlroy said of the early morning crowd. “There are events in golf that mean a little bit more. I think people in Australia take a lot of pride in this event.”

Scott shared that sentiment: “Playing with Rory and Min and dealing with the crowd on the 10th tee this morning was a lot of fun. But the course held up well even in some of the most challenging winds I’ve played here. It’s a testament to the course and it’s great for the tournament.”

Elvis Smylie, the left-handed Australian who won last year's Australian PGA Championship, New Zealander Ryan Fox, and Mexico's Carlos Ortiz, who eagled his penultimate hole, the 17th, led the first round with 65 strokes. Cameron Smith, trying to avoid missing his eighth consecutive cut, bogeyed two of his last three holes and finished with a 70. "I feel like I did a good job today... I made all the putts I needed to and probably left some out, but that's the way it is," Smith said.

Smylie benefited from a lucky bounce when he hit a spectator. On the par-4 1st hole—his 10th—his wayward shot across the green struck a spectator before rebounding into a good position for birdie. “The wind was coming from the left, and I just didn’t slice it enough. I think it hit him in the foot,” Smylie explained. “Luckily, it didn’t hit him hard, and then it bounced about five feet, and I was able to sink it. So when things like that happen, you know the golf gods are on your side for the day.”

David Puig, who won the Australian PGA Championship last week at Royal Queensland, carded a 74. The winner of the Australian Open, which is the second event on the European Tour's revised schedule for later this year and 2026, receives an exemption for next year's Masters. In addition, the top three finishers who are not exempt will qualify for the 2026 British Open at Royal Birkdale.