RORY’S EAGLE EYE
Fireworks from No1 McIlroy as he roars into life after sluggish start
TRUST Rory McIlroy to deliver a few fireworks in his first round back as world No 1. Two eagle threes in the space of just three holes were the obvious highlights in a fine opening round of 68 in the Genesis Invitational yesterday.
The man who is seemingly in contention to win every time he plays these days took up residence on the early leaderboard as his three-under par score was bettered by only a trio of players among the morning wave.
American Matt Kuchar, mind, managed to beat it by no fewer than four shots with a startling 64, while McIlroy’s playing partner, Patrick Cantlay, also shot 68.
‘I’m delighted with the score because I made such a sluggish start,’ said McIlroy. ‘The two eagles fired my round up because it was a real struggle to that point.
‘Now I’m looking forward to the rest of the event because this is such a thinker’s golf course.’
Brooks Koepka, the man McIlroy displaced on Monday at the top of the rankings, showed his intention to regain top spot on Sunday with a birdie at the last for a 69.
Englishman Paul Casey shot the same score, while countryman Matt Fitzpatrick recovered from a wretched front nine played in 39 shots with just 32 for his back nine and a par-matching 71.
McIlroy was out soon after first light and his early play was as cool as the temperature. As the sun emerged from behind the Hollywood Hills on a picture postcard morning, so the Northern the par-five 17th tee with a little momentum.
What followed were two blows that only a handful of pros are capable of playing. A par five measuring a shade under 600 yards, McIlroy hit a monstrous drive and then a gorgeous three wood to the heart of the green, and he rolled in the 35ft putt.
Not surprisingly, McIlroy could not resist a little fist pump. Even by his standards, this particular eagle was special. Not even a dropped shot at the 18th could alter the feeling that this was a round that finally had lift-off.
Sure enough, at the par-five first and the easiest hole on the course, McIlroy followed another textbook tee shot with a seven iron that made light of a tricky flag location as the ball finished six feet away.
A moment of light relief followed at the par- four second, where Cantlay said he wanted to wait for a ruling before playing his third shot. ‘So do I,’ said the third member of the group, Dustin Johnson. The closest to the flag he might have been, but Rory could not resist piping up.
‘ I can play,’ he said, smiling broadly, and duly did so.
We are used to the booming drives, of course — on this day, he averaged a mere 327 yards from the tee — but an encouraging feature at the start of this hectic run of tournaments leading to the Masters is how well the 30-year-old is putting.
Even the putts that do not drop are missing by a fraction. Here he holed three excellent putts in the six to seven feet mark on his inward nine for pars to maintain his upward surge.
What a contrast to poor Johnson, who has been playing well for weeks but keeps dropping silly shots around the greens. With six holes to play, he was level with McIlroy, only to throw in a succession of careless bogeys for a 72.
As for tournament host Tiger Woods, out in the afternoon wave, he could hardly have made a more explosive start to an event he has never won. A drive and mid-iron to 35ft at the first was followed by a holed putt for an eagle three.