McIlroy’s 65 matched a new course record after Royal Portrush had been redesigned with two new holes added for this tournament, but it left him with one stroke too many.
One hurdle for officials was to figure out how to get the majority of the materials for the tented village and grandstands shipped not by motorway but by water.
As it did a year ago at Carnoustie, the governing body decided to test the drivers of a handful of players, Woods included, after their practice rounds at Royal Portrush.