NEWCASTLE, Northern Ireland >> Rory McIlroy birdied his final three holes to shoot 3-under 68 and sit two strokes off the first-round lead at the Irish Open on Thursday.

The No. 3-ranked McIlroy is attempting to win his home tournament for the second time — eight years after the first — and is playing at Royal County Down Golf Club, a course that is a short drive from his childhood home of Holywood in Northern Ireland and where he used to play with his friends.

“It’s a major championship-caliber golf course,” McIlroy said. “It’s just unfortunate that we don’t have the infrastructure around the golf course to host something like an Open because if we did, it definitely would be able to host an Open Championship.”

Tough winds and some rain made for difficult conditions and No. 291-ranked Todd Clements of England dealt with it the best, making five birdies and a 15-footer for eagle at the 18th — his ninth hole — for a 66 and a one-stroke lead.

“I said to my caddie walking off, ‘That’s one of the best rounds I’ve played in my life,” Clements said. “

It’s a hard course and yeah, delighted how it panned out.”

Sami Valimaki of Finland and Alejandro Del Rey of Spain were in a tie for second after 67s.