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The rain hammered down and the home hero\u2019s victory chances were washed away but nothing was about to spoil the Portrush party on the Open\u2019s historic return.<\/p>\nThe rain hammered down and the home hero\u2019s victory chances were washed away but nothing was about to spoil the Portrush party on the Open\u2019s historic return.<\/p>\n
Rory McIlroy\u2019s disastrous first round dampened the cheers only briefly as the thousands lucky enough to secure a ticket savored every sodden moment of the opening day of the 148th Open, heading home with smiles as wide as when the gates opened at 6am.<\/p>\n
Some were waiting outside the famous seaside course an hour earlier, determined to secure a prime spot at the first tee.<\/p>\n
Hometown favorite Darren Clarke teed it all off, hitting the first Major championship golf shot in Northern Ireland for 68 years.<\/p>\n
One tournament official suggested there had never been a bigger crowd for the first shot of an Open.<\/p>\n
The roars that greeted Clarke\u2019s opening drive followed him for all 18 holes as he recorded an admirable level-par 71.<\/p>\n
One of the proudest onlookers was Clarke\u2019s father Godfrey.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt was great, a very good experience. There was obviously a bit of pressure on him hitting the first tee shot but I think overall he\u2019ll be happy enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
He joked that his son was initially a bit dubious about being asked to hit the opening shot of the tournament, given that at the Masters at Augusta it is performed by the \u201cold boys\u201d of the game.<\/p>\n
Mr Clarke said at Portrush the honor was more a nod to the efforts his son had put in to bring the Open back over the Irish Sea for the first time since 1951.<\/p>\n
If Clarke\u2019s opening birdie gave the Open a glorious start, McIlroy\u2019s tournament was all but over as he walked off the first green with an ignominious eight on his card.<\/p>\n
It was a hole that, bizarrely, included a wayward drive that struck and broke the phone of a woman who works in his hometown of Holywood, Co Down.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, McIlroy conceded his first thought after the calamitous opener was \u201cwhat else can go wrong?\u201d.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for the four-time Major winner, the answer came on the 16th and 18th, with a double and triple bogey that effectively ended his chances of a fairytale win.<\/p>\n
For former Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman, who was among the fans, McIlroy\u2019s score on the 18th was one \u201cSEVEN\u201d he was unlikely to have taken pleasure in.<\/p>\n
It was the same for fellow local star Graeme McDowell, born and bred in Portrush, who also ended with Goodman\u2019s favorite number after a promising early start.<\/p>\n
Among the crowds at Royal Portrush were a number of stars from other sporting codes.<\/p>\n
Recently retired former Northern Ireland football captain Aaron Hughes was enjoying a summer without pre-season training as he watched the world\u2019s best bisecting the first fairway.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really exciting, just looking around the place and the atmosphere in the place is just brilliant,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like a kid coming to watch it.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, you want to see the local lads to do well. For me I just like watching golf, so even just seeing all the big American stars, watching how they strike they ball, it\u2019s great.\u201d<\/p>\n
No star is as big as Tiger Woods and there were massive cheers at around 3pm when he strode onto the first tee, with crowds six or seven deep straining for a vantage point on fairway as the 15-time Major winner fired his opening tee shot into the left rough.<\/p>\n
Thousands surged after him, with huge galleries who had followed the homegrown stars in the morning adjusting their sights for an afternoon Tiger hunt.<\/p>\n
The banks of excited faces were swiftly covered by a sea of umbrellas, though, as the heavens opened once again, leaving Woods\u2019 legion of fans struggling to catch a glimpse through a forest of nylon canopies.<\/p>\n
Wearing stars and stripes from head to toe, the allegiances of Tom Brown were not hard to establish.<\/p>\n
Despite rooting for a US winner, the Atlanta man believed the inclement weather might ultimately favor an Irish or British player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI take bets every Major with a friend and I loaded up on the Irish, the Scottish and the English because I think the weather is coming in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Brown was attending his first Open Championship and he was not disappointed by the experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Northern Irish are great people, very hospitable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my first Open and I came because it was at Portrush. Because I don\u2019t think I will be alive to see another one here. It\u2019s a gorgeous country and great people.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are around 300 PSNI officers on duty throughout the week to ensure the Open\u2019s return to Northern Ireland passes off without incident.<\/p>\n
Their presence remained low-key today, with the most high-profile incident occurring when a patrol car was caught by a TV camera stuck in the sand on a nearby beach.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, a roaming beagle made its way up from the same beach onto the sixth tee, oblivious to stewards\u2019 urging to stay behind the ropes.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, other PSNI officers posed for selfies with a troupe of golf fans wearing the loudest of loud trousers.<\/p>\n
Living in the mountains of North Carolina, Reed Finney might be used to rugged terrain, but he still found the dunes of Portrush a sizable challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were at Carnoustie last year and St Andrews in 2015, but this is by far the best course and the hardest walk,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an awesome country. We\u2019ve had such a great time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unlike the thousands travelling in from all corners of Northern Ireland every day, Mr Finney bagged accommodation a short walk from the course.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s because I booked it a year ago,\u201d he smiled.<\/p>\n
Among the local fans was Liz Nixon, a member of Northern Ireland\u2019s other world-famous course, Royal County Down.<\/p>\n
She swapped the Mourne Mountains for the Causeway Coast for a chance to watch the world\u2019s best in the flesh.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely super, really brilliant, there is a great buzz about everything, marvelous,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nice to see the people in person rather than just on the television. I think I won\u2019t be able to see some of the shots, the distance they hit it.\u201d<\/p>\n