Rory McIlroy shoots 66 at Riviera and believes he’s still improving 2… — and more

Rory McIlroy opened his Genesis Invitational campaign with a strong round of 66 at Riviera, setting himself up nicely for the week ahead.

He carded six birdies against just one bogey to leave him in a good position early on. Before play began, McIlroy had voiced his dislike of the recent changes to Riviera’s fourth hole.

But that didn’t stop him from picking up a birdie there during his opening round.

The Northern Irishman finished the day five-under-par, just one shot behind Aaron Rai, who set the early pace with a 65. With plenty of golf left to play, McIlroy will feel well placed heading into Friday’s second round.

There was also good news for fans back home: full live coverage of each round is available on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event throughout the week.

Rory McIlroy says his game is still improving after opening round 66 at Riviera

Over the last 15 years, McIlroy has established himself as one of the top golfers of his era, and his record speaks for itself.

His competitiveness and determination to win were evident again on Thursday at Riviera.

After finishing his round, McIlroy was asked by reporters about the challenges of playing Riviera in the windy and wet conditions.

McIlroy said: “Yeah, I’ve definitely got more comfortable playing in conditions like this over the past few years.”

“I’ve gotten more comfortable in controlling my ball flight, and controlling my ball flight taking a lot more club, hitting the ball low.

“Yeah, and I’ve started to just really enjoy this style of golf. If you had asked me 10 years ago, I didn’t enjoy these conditions, but it’s been a shift in a mindset and maybe just a continuation of trying to build upon the skill set that I have.

“Then when it does get to conditions like this, I’m a lot more prepared. I wouldn’t say I enjoy them, but I can certainly handle them better. As I said, I haven’t always enjoyed these conditions. I haven’t always — honestly, I haven’t always had the skill set to excel in them.

Looking at McIlroy’s numbers from the opening round of the Genesis Invitational

McIlroy finds himself in a good position after day one at Riviera.

But with plenty of golf still to be played, there’s a lot that could change. More than half the field is still yet to finish their opening rounds due to a three-hour rain delay on Thursday.

The 2025 Masters champion will be pleased with how things are looking early on, but what do the stats say about his game right now?

The numbers show that McIlroy was pretty steady across all areas of his game.

His driving wasn’t quite up to his usual high standards, but that’s rarely an issue for him over multiple rounds. Expect him to find his rhythm off the tee as play continues into Friday.

Adding a win at Riviera would be another milestone for him. It’s one of those venues that carries real weight in golf history, and he’s spoken before about how winning at places like this has become more important to him as his career goes on.

If he can maintain this level, and continue making incremental gains in certain parts of his game, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him add more majors to his tally before long.

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Childhood devotion shaped by Dalglish magic

There are footballers you admire, and there are footballers who colonise your imagination. For Ange Postecoglou, Liverpool were not merely a club across the world but a weekly ritual, a shared language with his father, a belief system forged in red and white. The Australian coach admitted simply: “I was Liverpool mad, right? I was Liverpool obsessed.”

It began, as these things often do, with a hero. When Kenny Dalglish arrived at Anfield in 1977, replacing Kevin Keegan and ushering in another Liverpool dynasty, the young Postecoglou felt something shift. “When Kenny came in ’77, it went to another level for me,” he said. That was Dalglish’s effect. He made the complicated look inevitable, the brilliant look effortless, and children in Glasgow, Sydney or Sefton Park felt they had witnessed something sacred.

Dalglish’s Liverpool were not just winners; they were craftsmen. They played with poise, patience and menace. They made football feel like poetry written with studs and laces. That is how obsession begins.

Anfield promise carried into Premier League career

Football’s beauty lies in its capacity to connect time. A boy staring at a poster grows into a manager pacing the Anfield touchline, still hearing echoes of the Kop. Postecoglou described arriving early for his first visit as a Premier League manager, wanting a private moment beneath the famous sign.

“I promised myself… I’m going to walk through the tunnel beneath the sign just for my dad… to say we kind of made it.”

It was not about tactics or systems or press conferences. It was about gratitude. About telling a parent who never saw your greatest success that the journey mattered.

Then came the coincidence only football can script. “I turn around and it’s Sir Kenny,” Postecoglou said. The boyhood poster had stepped off the wall and into the corridor. “I’ve just walked through the Anfield tunnel with Kenny Dalglish, the guy that I had on my walls.”

There are moments in football that defy analysis. This was one of them.

Dalglish legacy beyond statistics

Dalglish’s record at Liverpool explains plenty. Over 500 appearances, more than 170 goals, countless assists and an era of league titles and European Cups. Yet numbers alone do not explain why a coach raised on the other side of the world still trembles at Anfield.

Dalglish represented grace under pressure, humility in triumph, humanity in grief. He embodied Liverpool’s identity. That legacy travelled across continents because it was about more than trophies. It was about belonging.

Every supporter knows this feeling. Ask anyone who grew up watching Ian Rush, Steven Gerrard or Mohamed Salah, and they will tell you heroes are stitched into memory like family heirlooms. For Postecoglou, Dalglish was that figure. The link between father and son. Between childhood and career.

Modern rivalry softened by shared respect

Liverpool’s modern era under Arne Slot has produced new rivalries and fresh narratives, yet stories like Postecoglou’s remind us football retains its human core. Managers shout across touchlines, clubs battle for points, but admiration lingers beneath.

Postecoglou’s Liverpool obsession does not weaken his professionalism. It enriches it. It reminds us coaches are supporters first, dreamers before strategists.

And it tells us something about Liverpool too. Anfield is more than bricks and seats. It is memory, promise and pilgrimage. A place where an Australian manager can whisper thanks to his father and shake hands with his childhood idol.

Dalglish gave Liverpool greatness. Liverpool gave Postecoglou belief. Football gave us a story worth telling.

Ademola Lookman, the new energy with Atletico

Ademola Lookman/@Atletico Madrid

Ademola Lookman has just reached a major milestone in his career by leaving Atalanta Bergamo for Atlético Madrid. The Nigerian wasted no time adapting to Spanish football, quickly establishing himself as a key player for the capital club.

In just five matches with Los Colchoneros, the Super Eagle has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists—matching the stats he recorded for Atalanta Bergamo in 19 appearances earlier this season.

The club change has clearly unleashed the 28-year-old, whose impact is delighting both Diego Simeone and Atlético Madrid fans. His first goal in the Champions League against Club Brugge is proof he’ll be a real asset for his team in the competition.

Let’s not forget, Lookman was close to signing with Inter Milan last summer, but Atalanta Bergamo blocked the transfer.

Former South Africa striker Benni McCarthy says Jose Mourinho should apologise for his "very wrong" comments after the alleged racial abuse of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr.

The Brazil forward scored the only goal in Real Madrid's 1-0 Champions League win against Benfica on Tuesday.

Vinicius was booked for his goal celebration and the match was halted for 10 minutes shortly afterwards when the Brazilian reported alleged racist abuse from winger Gianluca Prestianni.

Uefa have since opened an investigation into the claims, which Prestianni denies.

Speaking after the match, Benfica boss Mourinho - who was sent off late in the game for arguing with the referee - said Vinicius had been "disrespectful" with his goal celebration and pointed to the club's legendary striker Eusebio as proof that Benfica is not a racist club.

But McCarthy, who won the Champions League under Mourinho at Porto in 2004, says the Portuguese made a "mistake" with his comments.

"The situation, he could have handled it better or chosen his words better but emotions got the best of him," McCarthy told BBC World Service presenter Isaac Fanin.

"I know the statement he made was very wrong. But we're all human, we all make mistakes.

"When it comes from somebody I know personally and I know how he feels about our continent and our people and the players that play for him, he's the most stand-up guy that any African player will ever play for.

"I think it was an emotional decision, tough, where he maybe made a call and it wasn't the right call which he will later, hopefully come out and say that he made a mistake because that's what I would like to think, that's the kind of man he is."

Vinicius, who has been a victim of numerous incidents of racist abuse during his playing career, later said in a post on Instagram: "Racists are, above all, cowards."

Benfica have defended Prestianni and claim there is a "defamation campaign" against the Argentine.

Prestianni, who could face a minimum 10-match ban from European competition if found guilty, denied directing racial abuse at Vinicius.

'People aren't open to talking about it'

On Thursday, Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior said there must be a zero-tolerance policy applied to anyone found guilty of racist behaviour in football.

He said: "If any player, any coach or any manager is found guilty of racism, they shouldn't be in the game. It's as simple as that."

The former Hull City boss added that the problems were not confined to football and that racism is a problem across society.

"A lot of things (need to change), this is a very complex situation when you speak about race or gender. There are a lot of things that need to change in society," said Rosenior.

"It sickens me to be honest. I think there's a wider debate than football. I think there needs to be more accountability for these things that need to be stamped out.

McCarthy agrees that the problem of racism extends far beyond football.

"In society today, people aren't open to talking about it. We still don't have these conversations," he said.

"There's one race that wants to have this conversation and the other race isn't ready. In anger, you can come out with a phrase like that but you're quick to say I'm not a racist.

"Yet you use the underlying racist thing when you're angry. For this problem to go away, both parties and both races have to be willing to talk about these things."

• Vinicius: Eight years at Real Madrid, 20 cases of alleged racist abuse
• Real Madrid tie halted over Vinicius racism allegation
• 'Anyone found guilty of racism should not be in the game'

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