Rory relief after lost ball scare

Rory McIlroy had his coach to thank for keeping him well up the leaderboard on the first day of the Open.

The 20-year-old was on two-under when he pulled his tee shot into thick rough on the par-four eighth - right in front of long-time teacher Michael Bannon.

Spectators assisted McIlroy's search, but it was Bannon who saved the day.

"He knew where it was, so he went down and he was searching for it and when he stood up he was right on top of it," said the world number 22.

"So if he did not stand up, I would have had to declare a lost ball and I would have made an eight or a nine or something.

"I was pretty lucky to find the ball and escape with a six."

Overall McIlroy, winner of the Silver Medal for leading amateur at Carnoustie in 2007, was happy with his round.

After that adventure at the eighth, he bounced back immediately with a birdie and two more, plus two bogeys to finish with a one-under 69.

"There was a bit of good, a bit of bad and a bit of ugly," he admitted.

"I thought I played solidly. I had eight threes on my scorecard, which is good around here, good around any golf course."

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