- Hard talk on migration expected at EU summit
- South Korea's Hwang Ui-jo faces four years in jail for sex video
- Israel pounds Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon
- India slams 'cavalier' Trudeau in Sikh separatist murder row
- 'Love match' apps rival traditional matchmaking in Pakistan
- Asian markets rally but China's latest stimulus leaves traders wanting
- UN report says 1.1 billion people in acute poverty
- Vietnam death row tycoon awaits verdict in new trial
- 'Our time has come': the female Indian director hoping to make Oscars history
- Bondi beach 'closed' as Sydney shores hit by 'tar balls'
- Dodgers smash Mets to seize lead in MLB playoff series
- China to almost double support for unfinished housing projects
- King Charles heads to Australia, a nation shrugs
- China to boost credit for property market, renovate 1 mn homes
- New York fight back to take 2-1 lead over Lynx in WNBA Finals
- Family feud reignites over Singapore ex-PM's historic home
- ECB set to cut rates again as inflation cools
- Malinin, Sakamoto headline pre-Winter Olympics figure skating season
- Prospective Paris FC takeover could transform French football landscape
- Asian markets rally, with eyes on China housing briefing
- China's underground lab seeks answer to deep scientific riddle
- China toughens Taiwan stance over president's sovereignty defence
- BTS member J-hope discharged from South Korean military
- How Indigenous guards saved a Colombian lake from overtourism
- Despite threats, Florida abortion advocate fights on
- Garcia Luna: Mexico's 'supercop' turned cartel abettor
- North Korea says constitution now defines South as 'hostile' state
- Vietnam death row tycoon faces verdict in new trial
- Menendez brothers' family call for release as US prosecutors review evidence
- Fiery Harris vows break from Biden in testy Fox interview
- Fiery Harris claims break from Biden in testy Fox interview
- Raytheon to pay $950 mn over fraud, bribery schemes: US
- Fiery Harris uses testy Fox interview to claim break from Biden
- Water crisis threatening world food production: report
- Mexico's ex-security chief sentenced to over 38 years in US prison
- One Direction's Liam Payne falls to death at Argentina hotel
- Climate change worsened deadly Nepal floods, scientists say
- Alcaraz will face 'difficult' clash with 'idol' Nadal
- US says India has removed alleged agent in assassination plot
- Barca hit nine in Women's Champions League, Bayern overcome Juve
- Harris courts Trump-skeptic Republicans with Fox interview
- Global stock markets diverge as investors focus on earnings
- Worms and snails handle the pressure 2,500m below the Pacific surface
- Serena Williams has grapefruit-sized cyst removed from neck
- Lavreysen wins record-equalling 14th world cycling track title
- School's out! Argentina students study in the street to protest budget cuts
- Lower rates, surging stock market fail to ignite US IPO market
- Pogba 'willing to give up money' to stay at Juve
- Few countries have drawn up nature protection plans: UN
- Biden to make farewell trip to Germany as Ukraine war rages
McIlroy focused on making British Open cut after disastrous start
Rory McIlroy said he can only focus on trying to make the cut at the British Open after a disastrous opening round of seven over par at Royal Troon on Thursday.
The world number two was looking to bounce back from narrowly missing out on a first major title for 10 years at the US Open last month.
But McIlroy's dreams of a second Claret Jug turned into a nightmare in the wind and rain on Scotland's west coast.
Things began to go wrong for the Northern Irishman at the par-three eighth where he found a green-side bunker with his tee shot and then rolled back into the sand with his second to make a double bogey.
He then fired out of bounds to post another double bogey at 11 and also dropped shots at the 10th, 15th and 18th.
"Just one of those days where I just didn't adapt well enough to the conditions," said McIlroy.
"All I need to focus on is tomorrow and try to make the cut. That's all I can focus on."
McIlroy was far from the only big name to struggle with the combination of tough conditions and a challenging course.
US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau needed an eagle on the 17th to post a five-over 76, while world number four Ludvig Aberg hit 75.
McIlroy explained how he had been caught out by cross-winds coming from a different direction to what he had faced in practice earlier in the week.
He last missed the cut at the British Open on home soil at Portrush in 2019, when a six-under par second round could not undo the damage of an eight-over 79 on day one.
"It was more like the conditions got the better of me," added McIlroy.
"I need to go out there and play better and try to shoot something under par and at least be here for the weekend, if not try to put myself up the leaderboard a bit more and feel like I have half a chance."
B.Finley--AMWN