'Use a bit of common sense' - Rory McIlroy 'frustrated' by slow play warning after bad finish to Irish Open first round

"Honestly, I felt a little rushed out there for the last 12 holes. We got put on the clock pretty early, and then the first official went away, and then we put on the clock for the last three holes to try to make time up. And it's hard because you feel a bit rushed. You're playing some tough holes and our group has to deal with a lot more than any other group on the course."

"So it's understandable that we lose time. And I feel like anytime I either come back to Europe or I play in some of these, like 1-2-3 in the world type groups, we're always put on the clock for that reason. So got a little frustrated the last few holes, because I feel like it always happens. I don't think they use sort of common sense in terms of, of course, we're going to lose ground because we're going to have to wait on crowds and wait on the two camera crews that are out there. There's a lot more going on with our group than with any of the other groups on the course. And sometimes I feel like they have to give us a little bit of leeway and use a bit of common sense."

"McIlroy made four birdies and a bogey on the back nine to turn in three under, but after following a bogey at the tight second with a birdie four at the fourth, he bogeyed the seventh and par-three eighth to slip back down the field. It's happened to me quite a lot before in these sorts of big groups when I come back to Europe to play, and I just let it get me a little bit."

Massive galleries followed several leading players around The K Club, and officials put Rory McIlroy's group on the clock during the first round. McIlroy reported feeling rushed for the final 12 holes and said officials repeatedly imposed timing pressure, leaving him frustrated by delays caused by crowds and camera crews. Nacho Elvira shot a bogey-free six-under 66 to lead by one over Bernd Wiebserger, Dan Brown and Adrien Saddier. McIlroy carded four birdies and a bogey on the back nine but slipped after a bogey at the second and another at the seventh.

Read at Irish Independent