RORY MCILROY mounted a spirited salvage operation on day one of the Open Championship to save himself from a major Royal Birkdale calamity.

While the American trio of  Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar set the early pace with five-under 65s,  McIlroy, the 2017 Open champion who had missed three of his last four cuts heading into 
the championship,  recovered from leaking five shots in his opening 
six holes to post a battling one-over 71.

It had been a disastrous start to the championship for McIlroy as a dropped shot on the tough opening hole was followed by a wretched run of consecutive bogeys from the third to the sixth.

Read more: Jordan Spieth and company light up Birkdale as trio share lead at the Open

If his outward half was decidedly dodgy then the 28-year-old’s back nine was shimmering in its dogged determination.

His first birdie of a turbulent day provided the catalyst for a robust repair job and further gains at the 15th, 17th and 18th had him fist-pumping with a sense of gritty satisfaction.

And given his recent record for missing cuts, the former world No.1 showed great character to pull it out the bag.

McIlroy, the four-time major winner, confessed that he felt “anxious” and “timid” heading to the first tee but admitted that some encouraging words from his caddie, JP Fitzgerald, helped spark a resurgence.

“I was nervous going out,” said the Northern Irishman. “I was a little anxious and timid. I’ve probably just not got as much belief in myself as I should have had. 

Read more: Jordan Spieth and company light up Birkdale as trio share lead at the Open

“JP gave me a good talking too on the sixth tee box and sort of reminded me of where I was. 

“JP  basically  said: ‘You’re Rory McIlroy, what are you doing?’ I said, ‘Yeah,’ and at that point I mumbled something like, ‘Whatever’. 

“But it did definitely. It kept me positive. So he did a great job.

“Thankfully he’s not had to do it too often but he’s had to do it a few times. And he’s never afraid to do that. 

“And I feel today it helped a lot more than at other times because I needed something. JP kept me positive out there, so that was very much appreciated.

“That helped, me get back in a positive frame of mind. I had a good pitch shot on the seventh and even though it didn’t hit the green it was a better strike, a better golf shot. 

“And then I took a little bit from that. From there it was, ‘Well, we have 12 holes to try and emulate that’. 

Despite the frustrating nature of a season that has been hampered by injury, McIlroy has continued to maintain that his game was “close” to getting back to its best.

Read more: Jordan Spieth and company light up Birkdale as trio share lead at the Open

A trying, troublesome opening few holes yesterday, though, had the doubts coursing through the mind yet again as McIlroy toiled in his quest to find his form. 

Given the straits into which he has been plunged, it would have been easy to lose the head. McIlroy kept his, however.

“I was thinking, ‘Geez, here we go again’,” he added. “Those thoughts ran through my mind but I just needed to stay patient and stay with it. I didn’t get angry out there at all. 

“I didn’t let my head drop too much. So I kept a good, positive attitude. And it turned around for me, thankfully. It was nice to see the putt on 18 go in and close out today with something really positive. 

“With the weather we’re expecting tomorrow, I still feel I’m in the golf tournament. 

“If I can go out and play a good quality round of golf in the morning and try to get in the clubhouse somewhere around even par, under par, I’ll still be around for the weekend."