McIlroy: I did everything you need to | Young 'comfortable' leading The Open

Rory McIlroy continued to eradicate his first-round hoodoo in majors after making a strong start to his bid for a fifth major title at The 150th Open.

McIlroy had posted a combined 35 over par in the first round of majors between his 2014 PGA Championship victory and his opening-round 73 at The Masters in April, where he finished runner-up, before setting the pace at Southern Hills in May and starting strongly in last month's US Open.

The former world No 1 maintained that streak of stronger starts with a six-under 66 on the opening day on the Old Course at St Andrews, holing a 55-footer on his opening hole and mixing seven birdies with a lone bogey to keep him within two strokes of early pacesetter Cameron Young.

"Yeah, fantastic start," McIlroy said in his post-round conference. "Just sort of what you hope will happen when you're starting off your week.

"I mean I did everything that you're supposed to do around St Andrews. I birdied the holes that are birdieable and I made pars at the holes where you're sort of looking to make a par and move to the next tee. Didn't really put myself out of position too much.

"I was maybe trying to be a little bit too cute with the second shot on 13, but apart from that, missed it in the right areas, areas where you can get it up-and-down from. Got off to a good start going out, which is sort of important here, make your score and sort of hang on a little bit coming in.

"It's another good start at a major - three in a row for me now - and looking forward to the next few days."

McIlroy is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season and has finished no worse than eighth in his major appearances in 2022, with the Northern Irishman now looking to build on his strong start and challenge