Rory McIlroy’s return to PGA Tour action saw him post 17 straight pars before making a birdie on the 18th.
The Masters champion was in action for the first time since his Augusta heroics last month and finished his opening round by carding a one-under par 70 at the Truist Championship.
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Rory McIlroy hit 17 straight pars before finally landing a birdie on the 18th at the Truist ChampionshipCredit: Getty
McIlroy appeared set to post even-par the entire way through which would have been the first time in his PGA Tour career that he would have made 18 consecutive pars.
However a birdie put an end to that idea following a long putt on the 18th.
A different approach
After breaking the chain of events, McIlroy was approached by Tommy Fleetwood who cheekily told the Northern Irishman how he would have played the hole.
“I would have missed that on purpose,” Fleetwood told his Ryder Cup teammate.
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The Englishman added: “You could have missed that on purpose.”
To which McIlroy replied: “Well I was thinking, I can’t remember the last time on tour that I had a round of golf that I didn’t make a birdie in.”
McIlroy, who has missed four weeks of action, has a strong affiliation with Quail Hollow with four event victories at the course – his first coming in 2010.
And while his driver was locked in on Thursday, the 37-year-old’s struggles came with the putter.
McIlroy missed a host of chances for birdie including one on the 12th before sending another wide on the 13th.
“I wasn’t frustrated, I was hitting good putts,” McIlroy said. “Some days they just don’t want to go in. I was just trying to stay patient because I felt like I was hitting good putts. I overread a couple on the front side.
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Tommy Fleetwood was overheard joking with McIlroy about his shot selection on the 18thCredit: pga tour
“Then I under-read a couple as a reaction to the over-reads. It was more of a read thing. I was starting the ball on my line and hitting good putts. I just needed to figure out the reads a little bit better. But sort of felt like I got into it by the end of the round.”
After making birdie on 18, McIlroy raised his hands in the air to celebrate, finally claiming a successful putt.
“It was just nice to see one go in at the end, something to build off,” he added.
“I was thinking I can’t remember the last time I played a round of golf and didn’t have a birdie. I think I was just trying to make one. I felt like I didn’t make birdie at 7 or 8, so I thought my chance had passed me by, but nice to see one putt go in there at the last.”
Meanwhile, Fleetwood started his opening round in lightning fashion, making an eagle on the first hole.
He followed that up by posting four birdies on his way to finishing the round with a four-under par 67.
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Fleetwood started quickly at Quail Hollow but a missed par putt on the 18th ended his day on a sour noteCredit: Getty
However, there was a tinge of disappointment as he missed a par putt on the 18th to end the day.
“Today was good, got off to the perfect start, an eagle on 10 was great,” Fleetwood said. “I felt like I played well, made some solid iron shots.
“The course isn’t easy, and that was with conditions probably as soft as we were going to get them. So, playing well and we’ll crack on.
“I was talking to Phil [Kenyon] about it yesterday, and it’s like you can do everything right, and you know what it’s like on the putting green and you say, ‘that was a good read, started it on line, right pace, and it doesn’t go in’.
“You can do all of that, but at the end of the day, putting is about the ball going in the hole, and sometimes if you’re not seeing it going in, then it feels very difficult.
“I feel like today was one of those days I just, not needed, but wanted. I had a bit of momentum. Even that putt I hit on the last hole, even though it lipped out, putts looked like they were going to go in today, and that brings confidence.
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Fleetwood has struggled to recapture his best form over the past monthCredit: Getty
“Who knows what tomorrow brings, we’ll take the good days when they come.”
American Matt McCarty finished top of the leaderboard with an opening round of eight-under par 64.
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McCarty also set the record for most feet of putts made at Quail Hollow.
Sungjae Im ended the day in second place at seven-under, however his final round ended prematurely with tournament officials suspending play due to adverse weather.