DP World Tour: Darren Fichardt narrowly misses out on 59 while Rory McIlroy struggles at Alfred Dunhill Links

South Africa’s Darren Fichardt threatened to card the second 59 in DP World Tour history before claiming a narrow lead after day one of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Fichardt fired two eagles and nine birdies in an 11-under-par 61 at Kingsbarns, just a shot outside the course record shared by Branden Grace and Peter Uihlein.

Rory McIlroy, the highest-ranked player in the field at No 3 played alongside his father Gerry in the pro-am event, and could only manage a three-under 69 at Carnoustie which left him in a share of 73rd place.

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The McIlroys played in the group directly behind PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and governor of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) Yasir Al Rumayyan.

“It was a perfect day to play Carnoustie,” McIlroy said. “I probably didn’t quite take advantage of the conditions the way that I wanted to or should have, but a solid round and something to try to build upon tomorrow at Kingsbarns.

“It’s my dad’s 65th birthday on Saturday so to be able to stroll around the Old Course with him is going to be a pretty cool occasion.”

LIV Golf team-mates Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton carded the lowest rounds of the day with both hitting seven-under-par 65s.

“In the words of Tyrrell, just hit driver over every bunker into the rough, and lob wedge into the green,” Rahm said when asked to explain his tactical approach following a 65.

“That’s basically what I did. Missed it in all the right spots. My first fairway on our front nine was the 17th and I was three under. It’s a bit of what you can do when it’s not an Open Championship set-up.

“The rough is a little bit lower so you can be aggressive and have short irons into the greens and that’s what I did today.”

Fichardt had a chance to break the 60 barrier when he covered his first 16 holes in 11 under thanks to two eagles and eight birdies, but three-putted the eighth – his 17th – before making a birdie on the ninth.

“I started with a birdie on my first hole, the 10th, and then I hit a really poor three-putt the next hole,” Fichardt said.

“I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s going to be a grind today’, and then made like a 100-foot putt for eagle on the next hole and then the train just kept on going.

“It was crazy. If I was on the green, it was either going in or just missing. The putter was really, really hot and the driver was exceptional. So I was never really in trouble.

“When I got it to 11 under I felt good. I started thinking to myself, is this a par-73 or 72 because I know Gracey shot 60 the one year. A little 59 on this track would have been nice, but just read the wind wrong on my second-to-last hole, the eighth hole. Unfortunately three-putted there.”

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This week’s tournament is the first of the DP World Tour season’s crucial final four events before the end-of-season Play-Offs in the United Arab Emirates in November.

Other sports stars in action in the pro-am include Sir AP McCoy, Sir Ian Botham, Sir Steve Redgrave and Kelly Slater, while the world of film is represented by Michael Douglas, Bill Murray and Kathryn Newton.

Former England seamer James Anderson is making his second appearance at the event and is teamed up with countryman Sam Bairstow.

With the professionals and their amateur playing partners split across the three famous courses for the opening three days’ play in Scotland, Sunday’s concluding round is played at St Andrews with the field reduced to the top 60 pros, including ties, and the leading 20 teams.

Watch day two of Alfred Dunhill Links Championship live on Friday from midday on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and more with NOW.