Rory McIlroy toils at British Open as putting woes leave him seven shots off first-round lead

Rory McIlroy struggled in the first round of The Open Championship at Southport, England, carding a 2-over 72 that included six bogeys and three missed putts from inside 4 feet across a four-hole stretch (Nos. 7, 8, and 10). The world No. 2 finished seven shots behind surprise first-round leader Jackson Suber, ranked 115th in the world, on Thursday. McIlroy, who last won The Open in 2014, arrived at Royal Birkdale off a seventh-place finish at the Genesis Scottish Open.