PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rory McIlroy had numerous birdies and some excitement on Thursday in The Players Championship. All that mattered to him was being tied for the lead at the TPC Sawgrass.
McIlroy matched The Players Championship record with 10 birdies, balanced by two tee shots into the water, for his best start ever at the PGA Tour’s main event. He had a 7-under 65 to tie the lead with U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark and Xander Schauffele.
Schauffele played without any bogeys but had two anxious moments toward the end of his round, resulting in a birdie and an unexpected par save. Clark, who has already won at Pebble Beach this year, finished strong with three late birdies.
McIlroy equaled the tournament record of 10 birdies, last achieved by Cameron Smith in the final round when he won in 2022. And to think he had tee shots on the 18th and the seventh hole that he pulled into water.
“It would be nice to shoot 62 and not have two in the water,” he said.
The excitement came not from the shots, but deciding where to take his penalty drop. There were inquiries from Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland on the 18th — their ninth hole of the day — but that was resolved and McIlroy hit a 3-wood onto the green and escaped with a bogey.
It was on the seventh hole that Hovland and Spieth sought clarification on whether the tee shot was above or below the red hazard line. That would determine whether he had to drop back by the tee or where it went into the water. Television replay didn’t make it entirely clear.
There was one tense moment when Spieth said, “Everyone I’m hearing that had eyes on it … is saying they were 100 percent certain it landed below the line.”
“Who’s everybody, Jordan?” replied McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond.
“Who are you talking about?” McIlroy added.
McIlroy confidently claimed it was above the line, played short of the green and ended up making double bogey.
“I think Jordan was just trying to make sure that I was doing the right thing,” McIlroy said. “I was pretty sure that my ball had crossed where I was sort of dropping it. It’s so hard, right? Because there was no TV evidence. I was adamant. But I think, again, he was just trying to make sure that I was going to do the right thing.”
Spieth had his own problems and posted a 74, leaving him in danger of missing the cut at The Players for the sixth time in 10 years. Hovland took double bogey on his final hole for a 73.
Not much drama on the course, except for a few rounds in the 80s, none with outrageous numbers, just the usual difficulty Sawgrass can impose without warning.
Schauffele thought he was headed for the water with his drive to the right on the fifth hole, only for it to narrowly stay in the rough. He hit the next one to 2 feet. Then on the seventh, he was deep in the trees and hammered an 8-iron out of trouble, over water and a big bunker, and onto the fairway.
“I would not want to hit that shot again,” said Schauffele, who then hit a lovely pitch to 5 feet to save par.
The weather in March in Florida was calm, and the Stadium Course was not very challenging, especially in the first round. Also, there was a pin placed at the front of the 17th hole, where Ryan Fox made a hole-in-one. This was the third year in a row that someone made an ace on that famous hole at The Players.
Fox stated that the 17th hole is iconic and intimidating, and most people either want the golfer to make a hole-in-one or hit the ball into the water. He was glad to have succeeded with the shot.
There was also very little difference or gap.
Nick Taylor did not have any bogeys on his scorecard, finishing with a score of 66, and he was joined by former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who had one of 12 eagles on the 16th hole, which is a par-5.
Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked player in the world, who had a strong performance last week at Bay Hill, was one shot behind. He only missed two fairways and three greens, and apart from a three-putt bogey at the start, made it look effortless.
It wasn't completely stress-free.
Scheffler mentioned that this golf course is probably never easy, with a few holes that may be easier, but overall, he finds it quite challenging.
When play was stopped due to darkness, the average score was about 71.5. Among those who need to finish the first round on Friday morning was Jimmy Stanger, who was 5 under with two holes left. Stanger was the last player to enter the 144-man field, which was significant as Tiger Woods did not participate.
Stanger joked that he might be the only one who was happy about Tiger not playing.
