Rory McIlroy: Team Ireland star shares 15th spot after opening 68 at Olympics

Rory McIlroy is sharing 15th place at the Olympic men’s golf event in Paris after firing an opening three-under-par 68.

McIlroy carded five birdies and an eagle but his progress was inhibited by four bogeys – including a dropped shot at the last.

The Team Ireland golfer’s round left him five behind Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama who carded a flawless eight-birdie 63 at Le Golf National.

Recent Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele was sharing second place on six under late in his round along with Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz and Finland’s Sami Valimaki, who were midway through their back nines.

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and South Korea Tom Kim were tied for fifth after rounds of 66 with world number one Scottie Scheffler and Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood among those a further shot off the pace.

After bogeying the par-three second, McIlroy recovered to reach the turn in three under after birdies on the third and fifth were followed by an eagle three at the ninth.

Bogeys on the 10th and 12th dropped him back to one under and while three successive birdies from the 13th put him on four under, his round ended on a frustrating note as he took five at the closing hole.

McIlroy missed out on a bronze medal in a play-off on his Olympic debut in Tokyo.

His Ireland team-mate Shane Lowry was two under after 13 which left him sharing 26th spot at that stage in the 72-hole stroke play event.