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The six-time major champion endured a frustrating start to his round at Royal Birkdale due to some costly missed putts.

Rory McIlroy had commentators in awe as he drove a par four measuring over 400 yards in the opening round of the Open Championship.

The six-time major champion endured a frustrating start to his round at Royal Birkdale due to some costly missed putts.

After three opening pars, McIlroy bogeyed the par three fourth hole and missed a short putt on the par three seventh hole.

McIlroy looked set to pick up a shot on the eighth hole after a sublime second shot, only to miss a birdie putt from inside four feet.

The 2014 Open Champion then stepped onto the 415-yard par four ninth hole cutting a frustrated figure.

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While the rest of the field were playing the hole as a two-shotter, McIlroy had other ideas, taking his driver out of the bag to cheers from the fans surrounding the tee box.

McIlroy then proceeded to unleash a monstrous drive that ended up rolling all the way onto the green.

It set up a two-putt birdie for McIlroy to make the turn in 35 strokes at one-over-par, which, at the time of writing, is six shots behind American Jackson Suber.