RORY MCILROY MADE a run of costly late bogeys as he slipped to a four-over par opening round at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis.
McIlroy had been aiming to rebuild some momentum heading into the PGA Tour Play-offs, following a run of disappointing results after his successful defence of his Masters title in April – which included tied for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale.
Instead he is nine shots behind a trio of leaders on five-under, Michael Thorbjornsen, Jordan Spieth, and Kurt Kitayama. England’s Tommy Fleetwood was a shot back after his 66, which included an eagle at the third.
Shane Lowry finished on one-under after an opening 69. He was two-under after 10 holes before his first setback of the day was a costly one, a double bogey on the short 11th after he found water off the tee.
Lowry dropped another short at a par-three on the 14th, when he went left off the tee. He rebounded excellently with a pitch to six-feet setting up a birdie on the 15th, and he came close to an eagle on the 16th with a lengthy putt, tapping in for birdie.
Shane Lowry hits from the fifth tee. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
McIlroy, currently 12th in the FedExCup standings, was in a marquee pairing at TPC Southwind alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler on his return to the event he skipped last year.
Advertisement
A bogey on the par-five third was soon recovered with a birdie at the par-three fourth, before another dropped shot at the eighth saw him head into the turn at one-over.
McIlroy sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 11th, but a wayward tee shot off the 16th out to the right saw him make another bogey. His second at the 17th then bounced away past the green towards the stands, meaning a drop before eventually taking five.
Rory McIlroy found the water at the 18th (George Walker IV/AP) AP Photo / George Walker IV
AP Photo / George Walker IV / George Walker IV
There proved little relief on the 18th as McIlroy sent his tee shot into the water and then came up short in his approach, meaning a double bogey and a round of 74.
Scheffler, returning to action for the first time since finishing runner-up at the 3M Open, finished at two under, his only bogey coming on the 15th.
Scottie Scheffler made a solid start on his return to action in Memphis. George Walker IV
George Walker IV
“I felt like I hit a lot of quality shots with my irons,” he said. “I did a good job of being patient and not trying to force it too much.
“I feel like I was right on the edge of having a good day, so I felt like patience-wise, I did a pretty good job.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Rory McIlroy struggles on day one of St Jude Championship after poor finish
RORY MCILROY MADE a run of costly late bogeys as he slipped to a four-over par opening round at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis.
McIlroy had been aiming to rebuild some momentum heading into the PGA Tour Play-offs, following a run of disappointing results after his successful defence of his Masters title in April – which included tied for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale.
Instead he is nine shots behind a trio of leaders on five-under, Michael Thorbjornsen, Jordan Spieth, and Kurt Kitayama. England’s Tommy Fleetwood was a shot back after his 66, which included an eagle at the third.
Shane Lowry finished on one-under after an opening 69. He was two-under after 10 holes before his first setback of the day was a costly one, a double bogey on the short 11th after he found water off the tee.
Lowry dropped another short at a par-three on the 14th, when he went left off the tee. He rebounded excellently with a pitch to six-feet setting up a birdie on the 15th, and he came close to an eagle on the 16th with a lengthy putt, tapping in for birdie.
McIlroy, currently 12th in the FedExCup standings, was in a marquee pairing at TPC Southwind alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler on his return to the event he skipped last year.
A bogey on the par-five third was soon recovered with a birdie at the par-three fourth, before another dropped shot at the eighth saw him head into the turn at one-over.
McIlroy sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 11th, but a wayward tee shot off the 16th out to the right saw him make another bogey. His second at the 17th then bounced away past the green towards the stands, meaning a drop before eventually taking five.
There proved little relief on the 18th as McIlroy sent his tee shot into the water and then came up short in his approach, meaning a double bogey and a round of 74.
Scheffler, returning to action for the first time since finishing runner-up at the 3M Open, finished at two under, his only bogey coming on the 15th.
“I felt like I hit a lot of quality shots with my irons,” he said. “I did a good job of being patient and not trying to force it too much.
“I feel like I was right on the edge of having a good day, so I felt like patience-wise, I did a pretty good job.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
FedEx Cup Golf PGA Tour Golf Rory McIlroy Scottie Scheffler