The Players: After having a poor start at TPC Sawgrass, Rory McIlroy’s quest for a second triumph at The Players and a return to the world No. 1 has become a fight to make the cut.
McIlroy played alongside Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, the only two players in the world rankings ahead of him, and struggled to a four-over 76 due to an unpredictable day off the tee and a sluggish putter.
The four-time major champion had a difficult first day at the PGA Tour’s signature tournament, mixing two birdies with four bogeys and a double-bogey to fall 12 shots behind early leader Chad Ramey.
Scheffler led the morning marquee group with a four-under 68 after birdying three of his final four holes, while world No. 1 Rahm, who was going for his sixth victory in 11 international appearances, struggled on the greens and had to settle for a one-under 71.
The top trio in the world had a mixed day.
McIlroy’s tournament got off to a terrible start when he double-bogeyed the par-four 10th hole after misfiring on a chip from the rough and failing to get out of the sand. He recovered by making a two-putt birdie on the following par-five hole, though.
As his playing companions both started with six straight pars, the 2019 champion squandered an eight-foot birdie opportunity at the 12th hole and then followed that with pars on his next two holes before finding the woods off the tee on the 15th.
As McIlroy three-putted for par on the par-five 16th after an incredible comeback from the trees, Rahm two-putted from 12 feet to take advantage of the situation. The Spaniard then rolled in from 10 feet at the 18th to reach the turn in two under.
After beginning his second nine holes with consecutive birdies, Scheffler passed Rahm in the standings, while McIlroy fell farther behind after another tee shot that leaked to the right at the first hole resulted in another bogey.
Rahm missed his birdie attempt from inside six feet on the following hole, and McIlroy made up for a missed shot at the third hole by flicking a wedge to close range on the following hole. Scheffler also made up for a missed shot at the fifth hole by picking up a shot on the following hole.
Rahm had a bogey at the last hole, and McIlroy ended a dismal day by failing to save par at the par-five ninth. Scheffler then nailed a birdie from the fringe at the seventh and two-putted from 50 feet to birdie the last, moving him within four of the lead.
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