Masters champion McIlroy is playing only his sixth regular PGA Tour event of the year at the tournament in Muirfield, which is hosted by 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus.

The Northern Irishman, who tied for seventh place at last month’s ⁠PGA Championship, continues to tailor his schedule to his personal circumstances – with focus soon turning towards the upcoming US Open at ⁠Shinnecock Hills, New York.

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McIlroy had gone into the water at the third for a double bogey, but then responded with a run of three birdies to reach the turn at one under.

A hooked tee-shot off the 13th put the 37-year-old out in the deep rough on the left, but a fine recovery saw him able to save par, before a superb approach inside two feet at the 14th then set up another birdie.

McIlroy sent his second shot at the par-five 15th bouncing into the wall of the Nicklaus Club tent and back down a slope, but was able to chip up to the edge of the green and then safely make par.

The 18th saw the world number two hit another wayward tee-shot off into the left rough, narrowly missing the water, before looking to get up and down. However, he just failed to roll in a seven-foot putt to save his par and signed for a 71.

“I felt like I played pretty well, for the most part, especially after making that double (bogey) on the third hole, to play the rest of the round in three under was good,” McIlroy said in his post-round interview.

“It is a tough course, you have to concentrate on every shot. The greens are very firm already, very fast, (you) get yourself above the hole, it is very tricky.

“I felt like I did well again. I would like to hit a few more fairways, give myself a few more chances from the short grass, but overall, not a bad score to build from.”

Tommy Fleetwood was in a group of four who share the lead at five under alongside Americans Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun – the 2025 US Open champion – and Ryan Gerard, who had looked set to be clear after a five straight birdies before a bogey at 17.

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“In general I played OK, I played fine,” Fleetwood said. “I just wasn’t 100 per cent by any means with my ball control from the fairway with my irons, but still shot five under, so it couldn’t have been that bad.”

Canada’s Nick Taylor sits at four under, recovering from a double bogey at the par-five seventh.

Justin Rose is a further shot back alongside Sam Burns, with Ireland’s Shane Lowry in another group at two under.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is looking for a third successive win at the tournament, but laboured to a one-over round after a tough back nine which included a double bogey at the par-three 16th.

US PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai was another who failed to make an impact on the leaderboard after also making 73 playing alongside the American.