Rory Does A McIlroy Face Flop — Opens With 76 At Wentworth

Career Fact:  Rory McIlroy has never won as a professional when he shoots over par in the first round of a tournament.

Bold Prediction:  Rory McIlroy WILL NOT win at Wentworth this week.

It was a gorgeous Thursday morning outside London.  Blue-bird sky, barely a wisp of wind, the sun was shining — perfect day to shoot a good score at the BMW European PGA.

Many of the lads were in shirtsleeves by mid-morning — huge crowds turned out to see the big names and the biggest of them all was off and running.

World’s No. 2, Rory McIlroy, rattled off three opening pars then got everyone’s attention when he holed a 20-footer for eagle at the par five fourth.  He followed that up with a laser iron approach to the fifth and sank a mere three-footer there to go three-under through five.  The crowd was into it — most figured they’d see Rory shoot 65 or 66.

McIlroy missed a chance to go four-under when he saw a seven-footer for birdie slide by at the sixth.

Then, suddenly, inexplicably, things started to go sour for the FedEx Cup champion.

Three straight bogeys sent McIlroy back to even par after 10.  Right behind him young Matt Wallace was tearing it up with a 30 on the front nine — five-under.

McIlroy began to struggle more on his final nine.  He was still even for the day until he made a careless bogey at 15.  This round was going in the wrong direction.

Then things totally fell apart at the par five 17th, a hole you’d figure might get Rory back to even par.

He hit a big hook off the tee — out-of-bounds.  Never a doubt.  He re-teed and his third looked to be a repeat of the first.  The trees saved him.  His fourth left him 150-plus for his fifth and this one had double-bogey written all over it and seven went onto his card.  Just for good measure, Rory added another bogey to finish the day and when the adding was complete, the number was a head-scratching, embarrassing 76.

Seventy-six.

That put him 11 back of Wallace, who came home in 35 for a nifty seven-under 65 — good for the first round lead.

McIlroy was the only big name who didn’t show up on Thursday.

Jon Rahm threw his cap into contention with a smile-inducing 66.  Same for Henrik Stenson — 66.

Justin Rose shook off a sore knee that kept him out of the pro-am and J-Ro finished with 67.  Paul Casey, who lives in London, had a bunch of friends and family on hand and he responded with 68.

Young Viktor Hovland was getting a close-up look from Ryder Cup captain Paddy Harrington.  Hovland, paired with Captain Harrington, didn’t disappoint.  He shot 69.

By day’s end 68 players were in red numbers.  Apparently Rory didn’t get the go-low-today memo.

It’s going to be a task for McIlroy just to make the 36-hole cut.  In case you’re counting, that 76 left Rory-boy tied for 114th.

Rory didn’t have anything to say after his disastrous 42 on the back nine.

Pure ugliness.

Even more ugly considering the year Rory has had this season.

As good as he is, he can be just as bad when the driver becomes his enemy.

No excuses necessary.  It was just vintage bad-Rory.

Really bad Rory.

All of us would like to play like Rory McIlroy.  That 42 over his final nine helped us toward that goal.

BMW PGA Scores: