Rory McIlroy cards first hole-in-one of PGA Tour career; Denny McCarthy shoots 60 to lead Travelers

LOS ANGELES – Rory McIlroy has accomplished plenty since launching his professional golf career in 2007, including four Major championships and 122 weeks at No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

But before Thursday, one particular feat eluded him – a hole-in-one at an official PGA Tour event.

That changed for the Northern Irishman when he aced the par-three eighth hole during the first round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.

McIlroy stepped to the tee box of the 214-yard hole at TPC River Highlands with his five-iron. His ball hit the meat of the green with one small hop and tracked straight towards the pin.

The 34-year-old threw both his hands in the air before high-fiving his caddie and two playing partners, Tom Kim of South Korea and Viktor Hovland of Norway.

According to the PGA Tour, McIlroy had played 3,253 par-three holes over his Tour career before the ace on Thursday. He did have one at a DP World Tour event in Abu Dhabi in 2015.

“As hole-in-ones go, I’ve had them in the past where it has been like an OK shot and you get a little lucky,” McIlroy said. “That was the best shot of the day that I hit.”

It also made the difference in McIlroy’s two-under 68, sticking out on a card that included five birdies and five bogeys.

Denny McCarthy came tantalisingly close to a 59 but was happy to settle for a 10-under 60 to take the lead.

He sank a five-foot putt for birdie to wrap up his round. He shot 30 on both nines.

He was a mere two strokes ahead of Keegan Bradley, who set the pace in the morning with a 62, and Australia’s Adam Scott, who was also in range of a 59 late in the afternoon before a late double bogey.

The PGA Tour still has not seen a round of 59 since Scottie Scheffler’s second round at the 2020 Northern Trust. Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, is fourth at the Travelers after a 63.

McIlroy followed the ace with a pair of memorable birdies. At the par-four ninth, he blasted out of a fairway bunker to within 2 feet of the cup. After hitting a tree with his drive at the par-four 10th, he hit his second shot to 17 feet and drained the right-to-left birdie putt.

“Hole-in-ones and great shots, and I also made five bogeys, which was the sloppy bit of the day,” he said.

He was less than pleased with that part of his round after making just eight bogeys through four rounds of the US Open a week ago. Thursday was his first round since finishing second to Wyndham Clark in his latest missed chance at a Major.

Asked what he did with the hole-in-one ball, McIlroy claimed he “threw it away”.

“I’m not sentimental. I don’t care,” he said. “I’d rather have trophies than golf balls.” REUTERS