Rory McIlroy relieved to make 'really good par' after last-hole bunker trouble in 151st Open

Rory McIlroy reacts after holing a ten-foot par putt on the 18th green at Royal Liverpool in the first round of the 151st Open. Picture: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images.

Rory McIlroy averted a potential disaster by making a plucky par at the 18th in the opening round of the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.

At the venue where he triumphed in 2014, McIlroy had battled back from being two-over-par after 12 holes to be on level-par playing the last.

After hitting a great drive, his second shot ended up against the bunker face and, even though it was an attempt to go out sideways, he didn’t get out at the first attempt.

The second one wasn’t exactly easy as had had to adopt a treacherous stance, but he conjured up a bit of magic to get it out to ten feet and holed it for a 5.

The newly-crowned Genesis Scottish Open champion signed for a 71, which left him five shots behind a trio of pacesetters in the season’s final major.

“It was a really good par in the end," said McIlroy. "I got lucky because that ball could have gone into a deeper part of my footprints and I could have been there all night.

"I could have let that round get away from me but I didn't with the two birdies on the back nine. I need to shoot something in the 60s tomorrow and I will be right there for the weekend.

“I felt like I actually played okay. I missed a couple of putts on the front nine but got it going a bit on the back. It was sort of tricky out there this afternoon, it felt like it was hard to get close to some pins.”