Rory’s in pink as new dawn breaks

Rory McIlroy's professional baptism at the age of 18 began so early at the Quinn Direct British Masters yesterday that the only spotlights to be found were those illuminating the practice ground.

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He had woken at 5.30am and, before starting to rise, spent 15 minutes going over the day ahead in his mind.

The first big decision was whether to eat breakfast in The Belfry hotel or wander down to the players' lounge.

He chose the latter, but was still so sleepy that by lunchtime he couldn't remember with whom he chomped his cereal.

When daylight broke it revealed McIlroy in a vivid pink sweater. You better be good if you're going to start out as a pro wearing that colour.

McIlroy proceeded to chip in twice in his first three holes. When you do that, you can wear what colour you like.

McIlroy's agent Chubby Chandler certainly wasn't exaggerating when he said this was one of the most eagerly anticipated pro debuts of the last decade.

Just not yesterday, however, as he kept his 7.50am first tee appointment accompanied by his mum and dad, Chandler, one of Chandler's employees, a couple of marshals, a sprinkling of spectators, two media bods and, er, that's about it.

His first hole was the 10th on the card, one of the most famous holes in British golf thanks to various Ryder Cups but a bit of an anti-climax on the first day of strokeplay.

Nobody tries to clear the stream and make the green at this short par four on day one, and certainly not McIlroy with his first pro shot.

Was he nervous? "Hard to get nervous when you start with a six iron down the fairway," he said dryly.

McIlroy spoke to a number of players about what it's like in your first weeks as a pro, most notably his English equivalent, Oliver Fisher.

These teenagers became great friends and rivals during their glittering amateur days and McIlroy has noted the 19-year-old Fisher's stealthy progress during his rookie year, having made enough money already to secure his card.

Fisher told him: "They're no better than us out here, Rory. But what they do know is how to put some good numbers on a scorecard."

McIlroy had only to look at one of his playing partners, Soren Kjeldsen, to appreciate that.

The boy from Holywood, Northern Ireland, made a Hollywood-type start with his two chip-ins, reaching the turn in 34, two under par, only to trail Kjeldsen by a couple.

Getting a false impression, McIlroy turned to his caddie, fellow Ulsterman Gordon Faulkner, and said: "I'm not doing that great, Gordy."

"You are," replied Faulkner, an experienced Tour bag man. "Keep going like this, and see where you are by the end of the day."

If McIlroy is to avoid the lottery of the qualifying school he will need to make around £150,000 from five tournaments he will play between now and the end of the season.

Given that tied second place here would do the job in one fell swoop it is clearly feasible, even if far easier said than done.

McIlroy said afterwards that he was far more nervous when he played his first round at The Open at Carnoustie in July. Given that he was watched by 20,000 people that day rather than the 20 at the start here, that is understandable.

What was the same was the remarkable symmetry of his scores. On that memorable Open day, when he shot the only bogey-free score of the first round, he signed for a three-under-par 68. One birdie on his back nine yesterday and he had another three-under-par, bogey-free round, albeit a 69.

"Well done," said his other playing partner, former Open Champion Paul Lawrie. By day's end, Swede Martin Erlandsson led by two shots from compatriot Jarmo Sandelin and South African Richard Sterne.

But McIlroy was still on the leaderboard, six shots behind Erlandsson, three in arrears of Kjeldsen, and two behind Ian Poulter, at 31, the highest-ranked player in the world competing here.

In the pink, therefore, in every sense.