McIlroy starts slowly in Cairo

Rory McIlroy has made a slow start to the Egyptian Open on the Challenge Tour with a round of one-under-par.

The Ryder Cup star is making a guest appearance on the Challenge Tour this week, but he failed to impose himself at the top of a field where the next highest ranked player is Swede, Oscar Floren, at 223rd.

The Northern Irishman stated prior to the event that he had his sights set on winning the competition, but he needed a late rally to keep him in contention.

"I am here to help promote the event but the bottom line for me is about winning," 21-year-old McIlroy said.

"I'd love to win here, there are at least 12 world ranking points available and that would do me no harm at all."

McIlroy, who earned team Europe two vital points at Celtic Manor earlier this month, made a nightmare start to his round, bogeying two of the first four holes.

He looked to have salvaged the situation when he made terrific back-to-back birdies on the 5th and 6th, but went on to drop another shot at the par-3 7th.

A run of seven straight pars steadied the round but a bogey at 15 left him at two-over-par with three holes remaining.

But the youngster responded with three birdies to leave him six shots back from Alessandro Tadini.

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