USA DAWN: NEWS AND UPDATES

Rory McIlroy knew what he needed to do on Thursday. It was the same thing every golfer in the field was trying to achieve: go low on the way out on the front nine and hold on for dear life coming home. McIlroy was mostly able to accomplish this in Thursday's first round that was playing about four strokes to par more difficult on the back side than the front. McIlroy went out in 4-under 32 and came home in 2-over 37 for a 2-under 69 to kick off the 145th Open Championship. He caught lightning near the end of that front nine and made you remember the things Rory McIlroy can make you think about when he really gets going. Then he slipped a little on the flip side. Still, he said he was fine with his score. "I think I would have taken anything in the 60s today," McIlroy told Steve Sands of Golf Channel after his round. "I knew you needed to make your score on the front nine. I actually felt like I hit some really good shots on the back. It was nice to get one s...