SLOW START
Rory McIlroy’s late rally rescues frustrating first round at St Jude Championship as FedEx Cup play-offs begin
Paris Olympics teammate Shane Lowry also had a rocky start
RORY McILROY’S late rally rescued what had been a frustrating first round at the St Jude Championship.
The Holywood hotshot, 35, was hoping to “change the narrative” of his 2024 season in the first leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs, his first outing since blowing a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
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And he was on his way to doing exactly that following an eagle at the par-five third hole.
But McIlroy’s spider putter was letting him down.
And that proved the only time all day the he made a putt outside of eight feet at TPC Southwind in Memphis.
Two bogeys at the beginning of the back nine dropped him back to level par and left him facing a disappointing start in the first of three FedEx play-off events.
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But he finished strongly, with birdies at two of the final three holes.
Having made a four at the par-five 16th, McIlroy then produced an incredible approach from the pine straw at the last.
McIlroy appeared in trouble after his drive on the 18th ran through the fairway and appeared to be heading out of bounds.
Instead, the four-time Major champion’s ball just stayed in play and he made the most of it after sticking his 142-yard second shot three feet from the flag to leave him on two under par for the day.
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Open runner-up Justin Rose and Olympic silver medallist Tommy Fleetwood are right in the mix following a pair of four-under-par 66s, with both Englishmen not dropping a single shot.
America’s Chris Kirk enjoyed the standout moment of the day with a memorable hole in one at the 205-yard par-three 14th as he shot a six-under-par 64 to lead.
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Meanwhile, Séamus Power, 37, is just three off the lead on three under after a round that saw him drop just one shot to go with four birdies.
And Shane Lowry turned in a spirited display to card an even round.
Lowry, 37, lined out for Team Ireland at the Olympics in Paris and was one under par after three holes.
But two bogeys before the turn saw him find himself on one over.
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Lowry, however, recovered and was back on level par following a birdie on the par-three 11th.
European Ryder Cup hero Ludvig Aberg showed his class to get back to one over after being FOUR OVER following seven holes.