MAYNOOTH, Ireland -- Saying hes "feeling a bit lost" in a difficult year, Rory McIlroy shot a 2-over 74 on Thursday in the Irish Open to fall eight strokes behind first-round leader Oscar Floren. The second-ranked McIlroy, from Northern Ireland, had four bogeys and two birdies in wet and overcast conditions at Carton House on the outskirts of Dublin. McIlroy hit only five of 14 fairways and took 34 putts. "At the moment, no aspects of my game are strong and Im just feeling a bit lost at the moment," he said. "It feels good on the range and I can hit all the shots, but when I get out on the course it really does not seem to be there. "Off the tee, I am missing one right and then missing one left and its just not going where I want it. It gets you in two minds every time you are playing a tee shot. The game is just not coming easy to me at the moment and while I was struggling at this point last year, I was able to turn the corner in the middle of the summer and have a great end to my season. I dont know whether its a matter of trying to play my way out of it or just keep grinding away on the range or whatever." Floren, from Sweden, had a 6-under 66. He drove the green on the par-4 13th and holed a 20-foot eagle putt. "I just came out and hit everything really, really pure," Floren said. American Peter Uihlein was a stroke back along with Dutchman Joost Luiten, , Frances Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, Northern Irelands Michael Hoey and Irelands Shane Lowry. Uihlein, the Madeira Islands Open winner last month, is making his 10th European Tour start of the year. The former Oklahoma State star won the 2010 U.S. Amateur. Lowry, the 2009 winner at County Louth as an amateur, had six birdies and a bogey played alongside McIlroy. "I was just chomping at the bit to get out there this morning and I was just trying to play me way into the tournament nicely so Im really pleased with a 67," he said. Hoey said wife Barbara had their first child induced last week so he could compete in the event. "Its great being a father and already its added a new perspective to my life," said Hoey, a four-time European Tour winner. Ravens Super Bowl Jerseys From China . Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats. Anthony Averett Super Bowl Jersey . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. http://www.cheapravenssuperbowljerseys.com/hayden-hurst-super-bowl-jersey/ . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. DeShon Elliott Super Bowl Jersey . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Greg Senat Super Bowl Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. MIAMI -- Chris Paul faced great uncertainty when he became president of the National Basketball Players Association three years ago. The league was changing commissioners, the union was seeking a new executive director and another round of labor strife seemed unavoidable.That was then.Whatever fears there were in 2013 are gone now, with the league and its union having reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement and the relationship between the oft-contentious sides going along as swimmingly as ever. Yet on Thursday, one day after this new proposed deal was struck, Paul wanted no congratulations or credit -- instead lauding everyone involved for getting it done.I dont know if relief is the right word, Paul, the Los Angeles Clippers All-Star point guard, said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press. But its a really good feeling.The new CBA, if approved by players and owners, will last seven seasons with an opt-out available after six. Average salaries will continue to soar, players will be asked to endure fewer back-to-back and four-game-in-five-day stretches, and players who will soon be coming into the league will reap benefits that no rookies have before.But to Paul, the biggest win in this proposed deal is what it will mean for former players -- especially with regard to better health care.For me, its crazy to go into arenas now where former players who work for teams -- broadcasters, stuff like that -- and thats probably the most humbling feeling there is, those former players coming up and saying `Thank you, Paul said. Its not about me. Its about all the guys. Thats what I think what history will talk about with this deal. This wasnt a deal just for the current players, for incoming players, but the players who paved the way for us.Helping retired players with their medical expenses was something that other superstars, like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, said they wanted addressed as well.That health insurance stuff is invaluable, man, Paul said. You dont understand that as a 19-year-old coming into the NBA. I do know, as a father of two kids and having gone through life. If anyone asks me the best thing about this deal, its that. Not even close. That.Paul becoming president of the NBPA is a story in ittself.ddddddddddddHe went to Las Vegas for the unions meeting in 2013 not even considering the presidency, and then got approached by Jerry Stackhouse and other players about filling the role. Paul had a long talk with his wife, and agreed.I thought I had way too much on my plate at the time, my own life, family, kids, business things, stuff like that, Paul said.Clippers coach Doc Rivers had the same worry.Just make sure you dont overwork yourself. Do your main job and then do your other job was my only advice, Rivers said. I think hes done a really nice job of it. Hes been very involved but it really hasnt taken away from his job. Thats hard to do but hes done it.The new deal was tentatively struck Wednesday, one day before the sides faced a deadline for opting out of the current CBA.There was never a ripple of trouble during these talks, at least not when compared to the cantankerous ones in 2011 when the league locked players out for 161 days and led to that season being shortened from 82 to 66 games.Paul was part of the negotiations then, and was leery of dealing with the same this time around. But he and other players who were on the executive board -- Paul paid particular credit to Cleveland guard James Jones -- often kept how much work they were doing secret, and kept plugging away at getting what will be the next CBA done without a hitch.Its not about me, Paul said. Im going to tell you, I cant say enough about James Jones. He was the first person I called and said `Congrats. Its a lot of phone calls, a lot of flights, a lot of things like that that people dont know about. James Jones is one of the most selfless people youll ever meet. Without him, this doesnt happen.Paul wasnt sure Thursday when the players will vote, though indicated it could happen long before the new deadline of Jan. 13 to get this deal officially completed.Im happy for our players, and most of all, the fans, Paul said. When youre younger you dont realize how much these decisions affect the fans and why we are able to play this game, and while we all do work extremely hard to be able to do this, the fans are what give us this opportunity. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL T-shirts Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '