Cool McIlroy finds top form after Major agony
IT’S widely referred to as the most popular event on the PGA Tour for golfers, and yesterday the Travelers Championship was kind to Rory McIlroy.
That is, he found his game around TPC at River Highlands and powered to a blemish-free six-under par 64 opening round in Connecticut.
The 29-year-old is just one off the lead held by defending champion Jordan Spieth, who looks imperious around a course he’s mastered already, and early pace-setter Zach Johnson.
But what was most evident about yesterday’s round was McIlroy’s ability to let loose around the course. He didn’t have to pick and choose where to use the driver, he simply picked it and went, and it paid him back handsomely.
It’s amazing how much this round contrasted to his struggles at Shinnecock Hills — the Ulsterman did admit he thought if he performed like last week he’d have a chance this week, but it’s clear he’s found another gear.
Indeed, perhaps one of the most enjoyable aspects was how he outplayed the two men alongside him, the up-and-down Justin Thomas and the ever erratic Bubba Watson.
It was a very welcome reminder that this is McIlroy’s level. After the struggles in New York only a week before, he was back in territory that he knows his game is tailor-made to dominate.
It’s not something he’s forgotten per se, given he has a win and six top-10 finishes this year already, but every time he has a round like he did at Shinnecock last Thursday, it’s good to banish those demons as quickly as possible.
Johnson had set the early target, setting a 63 on the table as one of the earliest starters and inviting the star-studded field to chase him down.
And to say McIlroy had a blistering start would be something of an understatement, to the extent that he was probably disappointed walking off the sixth green only four-under par.
His approaches on the first four holes were to 10ft, 7ft, 8ft and 4ft, with only a deceptive left to right breaker down the hill at the third eluding the World No.7.
A par at the long par-three fifth was not a bad score, but he immediately bounced back with a birdie at the par-five sixth.
Indeed, it should have been better for McIlroy, who had a good look at the par-three eighth to gain another shot but saw his putt angle away at the last moment, and then his eight-footer at the ninth also stayed above ground for birdie.
So, to the turn in 31, four-under par, but that’s how he would stay for the next few holes.
Birdie chances came and went at the 11th and 12th, the latter of which you would perhaps say should have dropped after another delicious approach to just nine feet, before McIlroy got back on the birdie train.
Despite finding bunker off the tee at the par-five 13th — one of only two par-fives on the course — he still set up a wedge into the kindly sloping green, and his shot checked up nicely and rolled back for a tap-in and a gained stroke.
He backed that up a hole later, another dazzling approach at the par-four 14th rolling to a stop just nine feet from the hole. Unlike 12, this putt did not miss.
Such was the confidence exuding from McIlroy now that he stood up on the drivable 15th and didn’t even consider the easy option of avoiding the looming water trap left by laying up and flipping in a wedge.
Even after watching Spieth (below) find the water with a horrible pull, McIlroy striped a three-wood just right of the green. The upand-down made it three birdies in a row, and a tie for the lead. Perhaps he’ll be disappointed not to be leading solo overnight, especially when a birdie putt at 17 shaved the hole, but the final hole left a sour taste.
Facing a tough up-and-down to maintain the bogey-free round and share the lead, the chip was short and left a mid-range putt. McIlroy gave it a go, but it stayed up.
With 54 holes to go, it’s by no means the end of the world. But
it will make sleeping tonight just that tad more difficult.
Meanwhile, Padraig Harrington posted an impressive four-under par 66 to open his account as he aims for something of a resurgence on the PGA Tour.
However, both Graeme McDowell and Seamus Power have serious work to do to make the weekend after both carded two-over.
• AT the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge on the European Challenge Tour, Irishman Gavin Moynihan and Ruaidhri McGee are the main Irish contenders.
The pair are level par after their first rounds at Spey Valley GC, three shots off leader David Law.
Michael Hoey is two-over, while Cormac Sharvin and Dermot McElroy are both three-over.
Jonathan Caldwell is four-over, while Gary Hurley shot an ugly 11-over.