Golf: Jaded McIlroy demonstrates frayed state of mind

Rory McIlroy was frustrated but still broke par. Photo / AP

If golf can drive Rory McIlroy - the world No 1 who has won twice in the past three weeks - to the brink of fury, then imagine what it must do to his rivals.

Or then, perhaps the Northern Irishman's frustration yesterday was a simple gauge of his standards nowadays. His 71 in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth was his 20th consecutive strokeplay round at par or better and when you put together staggering streaks like that, the ambition must tend to zoom skywards.

McIlroy believes it is all to do with tiredness as he is playing his fourth event in a five-week transatlantic run. The 26-year-old threw a club in disgust on the par-five 17th, and although it was hardly the three-iron he hurled deep into the lake at Doral at March, it showed his frayed state of mind.

He came into the week having played 265 holes in three weeks. That is a lot of golf, particularly when you have been in contention for most of those holes.

But, fit as McIlroy is, it is fatigue between the ears that is affecting him. "Physically, I'm all right," the defending champion said. "I got back to the room at 4.30pm yesterday and didn't leave until 6.30am, so that's 14 hours of rest right there. But mentally I can feel myself getting angry out there, which I haven't been doing the last few weeks."

McIlroy was asked if he needed to go on an anger management course, which seemed a little severe.

"No, I just need to stay in control of my emotions, because if I'm a little tired I get down on myself," he said. "But now when I look at the leaderboard, I see that one under isn't that bad.

"If that's the worst score of the week, I'll be doing OK."

Indeed, McIlroy is in the top 25, on the same mark as the world No 6, Justin Rose, six behind the pacesetter, Italian Francesco Molinari, who shot a flawless 65.

On five under is the Swede Robert Karlsson and one shot further behind, in a group including Miguel Angel Jimenez and Scotland's Marc Warren, is Chris Wood. The 27-year-old from Bristol is another on his way back, signified by his 68.

With a record first-day attendance topping 20,000, this was a day as fine as the weather for the European Tour.

The biggest celebration of the day came from Londoner Andrew Johnston after making a hole-in-one on the 170m 10th and winning a 55,000 ($116,000) BMW.

After watching his ball take one hop and disappear, Johnston strode off the tee arms aloft.

Despite the ace, the 26-year-old went on to shoot a 77. As McIlroy would testify, this is a silly game.