McIlroy two shots off medal spot after opening 68

Rory McIlroy is two shots outside a medal position after an opening three-under-par 68 left him sharing 15th place at the Olympic men’s golf event in Paris.

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 put him five behind Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama who carded a flawless eight-birdie 63 at Le Golf National.

Recent Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele is in second place after firing an opening 65 in a first round that had a couple of delays caused by the threat of lightning.

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

McIlroy’s Ireland team-mate Shane Lowry could only manage a level-par 71 as his three bogeys included a dropped shot at the last following the first lightning delay.

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 following three putts.

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