Rory McIlroy kick-started his Players Championship victory quest with only his second sub-70 TPC Sawgrass start and then downplayed any threat of burn-out up to and including the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
The World No. 1 muscled his way to a clubhouse share of fifth place with a three under par 69 that was highlighted in driving the green at the par five, 16th hole and then holing a seven foot eagle putt on the TPC Sawgrass course.
It left McIlroy lying just two strokes adrift of clubhouse leading Hideki Matsuyama with three Americans, including FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel tied in second spot on four under par.
Tied with McIlroy was playing partner Jason Day of Australia while Masters Champion Jordan Spieth, and the third member of the group, struggled with a three over par 75. It was Spieth’s highest round since a similar 75 on the first day of the March WGC – Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral.
Despite arriving a little late to his first tee there was no real concern for McIlroy missing just two fairways in regulation and needing just 27 putts.
“This course is all about staying patient and even though there was a lot of pars on my card, I was able to pick off a couple of birdies, at my sixth and 17th holes, and a nice eagle on 16 or my seventh,” he said.
“So I am very pleased with the start.”
There was clearly a lot of chat between McIlroy, Spieth and Day and while Day disclosed they had talking at one stage about cars, McIlroy revealing they chatted about hair styles.
“It was funny talking about sort of different hair styles or something like that but anyway, I said to Jordan, you have a green jacket, your hair can be whatever you want it to be.”
McIlroy confirmed on the eve of the event he will contest next week’s Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow and the venue of his maiden PGA Tour triumph in 2010 and when you add the following week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and the following week’s Irish Open, it is a run of five tournaments in succession for the 26-year old.
“No, I’ve got no reservations at all playing five in a row,” he stated.
“I feel like I am playing well, so I wanted to get on a stretch of golf. Also I was sitting with my parents at their place in Palm Beach the week before the Match-Play and we were watching TV coverage of the event in New Orleans and I saw that I was like in the hundreds in the FedEx Cup standings.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy tips cold water on suggestions of five straight tournaments burn out. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
“I was like I have only played four events, but then I want to get myself up there so that’s what I am doing. I’ve got this week and then next week, before I go back to Europe.
“So I want to improve my ranking in the FedEx Cup and really get up there and it was a good start last week.
“Then after the Irish Open I will have two weeks off and plenty of time to recover and get ready for the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.”
However since McIlroy’s 10th PGA Tour success last week in San Francisco he is now riding high in 19th place on the FedEx Cup table.
