by Rory McILroy took an impressive start for the traveler championship to sit two head shots, before Scottie Scheffler, world number one, later posed a marker to defend his title in Connecticut.
The champion of masters McILroy had finished on equality at the 19th at the US Open on a punishing Oakmont course – but ended the weekend on a positive point after a final of three sous, which was the best of the day.
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The Northern Irishman – who saw his driver was tried as “non -compliant” before the PGA championship last month before missing the Cup at the Canada Open – had sought to take a momentum at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell while Focus turns to the Royal Portrush.
Rory McILroy took an impressive start to Cromwell (Jessica Hill / AP)
The world number two McILroy won a Birdie in the second, then sank two more before the Tour at the last PGA Tour Signature of 2025.
After having picked up another couple, another birdie in the 17th – best part of 30 feet after hitting an end of recovery from the rough and above the water on the green – saw him finished six under 64 to sit in second equality, two shots behind the leader of the clubhouse Austin Eckroat.
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The American Eckroat struck a good round of eight sous, which included an eagle in the 13th par-three and a sixth blade in the 18th.
Scheffler was one of the beginners twinned alongside the newly crowned US Open champion, JJ SPAUN – who, unlike his game partner, endured a difficult round perhaps to finish three on successive bogeys on the two closing holes.
There was, however, no problem for Scheffler, who never looked back after three birdies of the first four holes.
The American – who won a third major title with the crown of the PGA championship at Quail Hollow in May – then picked up an eagle on the 13th and another Birdie at 15, before a Bogey at 17 was the only defect in his eight under 62.
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McILroy’s game partner, Keegan Bradley, is also six sous, after losing a 12th shot, alongside Wyndham Clark, the US Open 2023 champion.
“Overall, it was a good start to the tournament, and I think that when you are in a two -ball ball like that and we can also feed each other, that’s good,” said McILroy after his first round.
“I just want to see good golf course and see better plans. I think that if you focus on it and focus on your quality of golf and you simply focus on the best of your abilities, the result will take care of itself.
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“There is no point in thinking about the result for the moment. I’m just trying to play as well as possible and have good swings, and if I do it enough, I will probably find myself in a position to have a chance to win.”
England Tommy Fleetwood carded a first round of 66 to sit in a group tied in sixth row.
Robert Macintyre, Scotland, a finalist in Oakmont, finished one after a double Bogey Six on the 17th.
Jordan Spieth withdrew in his first round due to a neck / upper back injury.
“I may have killed badly and then something happened. I don’t know what caused him,” he said.
“I think it was just a single random-off that unfortunately worsened and badly bad on Thursday so that I did not feel that I could continue.”
