On the links | Thursday’s professional golf results

ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS

ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

Rory McIlroy found himself nine shots off the lead after a 1-over-par 73 in the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Thursday. Four days after celebrating a third straight European Ryder Cup victory, McIlroy could manage just one birdie against two bogeys at Carnoustie, one of the three courses. “A 73 isn’t disastrous,” McIlroy said. Oliver Wilson of England, ranked 791 places below the top-ranked McIlroy, equaled the Carnoustie course record with an 8-under 64. It’s the second straight year he’s shot an opening 64 to lead the Dunhill Links. Last year, he finished tied for 59th. Wilson was in the Ryder Cup in 2008, the last time Europe lost to the U.S, but since 2011 has been competing on the secondary Challenge Tour. He received an invite for this week and sank nine birdie putts, finishing birdie-birdie-birdie-bogey-birdie. “I shot a 63 a fortnight ago in the Kazakhstan Open, which is our major on the Challenge Tour, so to shoot a 64 here at Carnoustie is very pleasing,” Wilson said. “I only dropped one shot, which was disappointing at 17, but then to birdie the last makes up for that. I’m so delighted to get Carnoustie and the tougher of the three courses out of the way.” Raphael Jacquelin of France, also at Carnoustie, was one shot behind in second after a 65 which included an eagle on the par-5 14th, his fifth hole. The Irish pair of Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry shared third with 66s. Harrington, at Carnoustie where he captured the 2007 British Open, bogeyed his closing two holes.

Rory McIlroy found himself nine shots off the lead after a 1-over-par 73 in the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Thursday. Four days after celebrating a third straight European Ryder Cup victory, McIlroy could manage just one birdie against two bogeys at Carnoustie, one of the three courses. “A 73 isn’t disastrous,” McIlroy said. Oliver Wilson of England, ranked 791 places below the top-ranked McIlroy, equaled the Carnoustie course record with an 8-under 64. It’s the second straight year he’s shot an opening 64 to lead the Dunhill Links. Last year, he finished tied for 59th. Wilson was in the Ryder Cup in 2008, the last time Europe lost to the U.S, but since 2011 has been competing on the secondary Challenge Tour. He received an invite for this week and sank nine birdie putts, finishing birdie-birdie-birdie-bogey-birdie. “I shot a 63 a fortnight ago in the Kazakhstan Open, which is our major on the Challenge Tour, so to shoot a 64 here at Carnoustie is very pleasing,” Wilson said. “I only dropped one shot, which was disappointing at 17, but then to birdie the last makes up for that. I’m so delighted to get Carnoustie and the tougher of the three courses out of the way.” Raphael Jacquelin of France, also at Carnoustie, was one shot behind in second after a 65 which included an eagle on the par-5 14th, his fifth hole. The Irish pair of Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry shared third with 66s. Harrington, at Carnoustie where he captured the 2007 British Open, bogeyed his closing two holes.

REIGNWOOD LPGA CLASSIC

BEIJING

Top-ranked Stacy Lewis birdied five of her final seven holes Thursday for a 7-under 66 and the first-round lead in the Reignwood LPGA Classic. “You learn you just got to stay patient,” Lewis said. “You’re not going to go shoot a 66 or 65 every single day. Yeah, I want to be in the lead. That’s where I want to be. I want to be in the lead coming up 18 on Sunday as well. It’s a good start, but we have a long ways to go.” Lewis leads the tour with three victories and earnings of $2,214,143.