Rory McIlroy misses making Olympic history by just inches in cruel miss

Rory McIlroy came tantalisingly close to etching his name into the annals of Olympic glory , as he was robbed of a spectacular albatross by a whisker at Le Golf National.

Representing Team Ireland in Paris this week with Shane Lowry, despite admitting he's "always felt more British than Irish" , McIlroy - who attended the Games with his wife after filing for divorce earlier this year - had a solid opening round and kicked off his second day with a bang. He started Friday's round with two pars before securing an eagle on the par-five third hole.

The drama heightened when McIlroy's fairway shot on the second hole looked set for a direct entry into the cup, only to bounce out and settle just inches from the pin.

• Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll make powerful statement at 2024 Paris Olympics after divorce u-turn
• Amanda Balionis posts cryptic 'connecting' message as Rory McIlroy reunites with wife at Olympics

Competing in his second Olympics after the Tokyo Games three years prior, McIlroy - who was briefly linked a to TV star during his short separation - is no stranger to the event, which made its comeback to the Olympic roster in 2016 after a century-long hiatus. Despite the long absence from professional golf, many athletes, including McIlroy, have questioned the significance of the Olympics in their sport.

ALL THE LATEST OLYMPICS NEWS AND UPDATES

McIlroy was among several high-profile players who opted out of the 2016 Rio Games due to concerns over the Zika virus. His earlier remarks about the Olympics were dismissive, as he once said: "I think I'll be remembered for my major championships. So all I've dreamed of from a little kid is winning majors."

• Olympics fans left stunned by swimmer's choice of trunks - 'is this legal?'
• Olympic star's dreams dashed after accidentally 'defecating' mid-race

"I never dreamed of competing in the Olympics or winning an Olympic medal. So in my mind, a major will always be more important."

However, eight years on, the Team Ireland athlete seems to have warmed up to the idea, suggesting it would be his most significant accomplishment in a while as he continues his 10-year wait for a fifth major title.

"It would be the achievement, certainly of the year," the former Open champion stated. "If not - I think for me, it's well documented that I haven't won one of the Big Four in ten years. It would probably be one if, if not the biggest in my career for the last ten years."

After carding a three-under-par 68 on Thursday, McIlroy expressed surprise at the level of support for the Olympic event, with 25,000 fans leaving central Paris to watch the action at Le Golf National. "[The crowd was] unbelievable. It was surprising," said the world No. 3.

"With so many events going on spread all across the city, for people to venture out here and to watch us play, it was a really cool atmosphere to play in. I was not expecting this. I thought the weekend it might get a few more people. I thought the first couple days might be a little bit quieter but it was awesome. Tokyo was a ghost town [due to COVID-19 restrictions]."

"This was much better. I think the crowd support that we all got out there was amazing. Obviously there's a few more flags and there's a bit more, I don't know what the word is, like nationalism. But we were all really well supported out there. It was great to see."