World No. 1 Rory McIlroy posted a disappointing three over par 74 to be trailing eight shots behind the clubhouse leading American born trio of Cameron Tringale, Hunter Mahan and Charles Howell 111.
The four-time Major winning McIlroy mid-afternoon on the first day of the first of the four FedEx Cup Play-Off Series found himself sharing 106th place in the elite 125-player field.
Rory McIlroy is now starting at missing the cut after posting a first round 74 that left him in a share of 102nd place in the elite 125-player field.(Photo – www.pgatour.com)
McIlroy struggled from the outset on the famed tree-lined Tillinghast designed gem to be three-over par after four holes, four over through nine and ending by holing a 32-footer for birdie.
Starting from the 10th, McIlroy pared the opening two holes but walked off the 12th with a double bogey after finding a greenside bunker with his second shot but failing to find the green with his third before chipping a fourth to 16 feet and then two-putting for a double bogey.
He slumped to three over par in also finding a greenside bunker at the next and then two putting from 16 feet while McIlroy was four over par after nine holes when he found the rough with his drive and after getting his third shot to within eight feet, he two putted for bogey.
In fact, it is McIlroy’s poorest round since the ‘Friday Fright’ of a day two 78 in last month’s Scottish Open, and a day after he had shot a then new Royal Aberdeen course record 64.
“I just wasn’t very good, and actually felt I got off to a good start but just short-sided myself on the 12th or my third hole and made double from there, and that, compounded it with a bogey at the next,” he said.
“I tried really hard to get some momentum going in the round but I just couldn’t’ really do that”.
