Rory McIlroy hit 10 birdies to share the lead with Xander Schauffele and Wyndham Clark at seven under after round one of the 50th staging of the Players Championship.
Starting on the 10th at TPC Sawgrass, the Northern Irishman had six birdies in his opening eight holes, including on the iconic par-three 17th. But he dropped shots on the 18th and 7th holes after driving into water.
His first error, a wayward drive into the lake down the left of the 18th cost him one shot, but he birdied three of his next six holes to reach eight under after 15. However, another pulled tee shot into water on the seventh cost him two shots.
PENALTY DROP DISPUTE
That followed a 10-minute discussion with playing partners Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland about the penalty drop location, and a rules official eventually backed his judgement that the ball had crossed a red line above the hazard and not below it.
“I think Jordan was just trying to make sure that I was doing the right thing,” said the world number two after the round. “I was pretty sure that my ball had crossed where I was dropping it. It’s so hard, because there was no TV evidence, but I was adamant that I had made the right call.”
Matching McIlroy’s score, Schauffele did not drop a shot in his 65, while Clark had eight birdies, including three on the bounce from the 15th as he made it a three-way tie for the lead late on an opening day.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Canadian Nick Taylor are leading the chasing pack at six under, while world No.1 Scottie Scheffler is a shot back on five under.
Among the highlights of a day full of low scores, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox aced the par-3 17th which meant back-to-back eagles following his three at the par-five 16th and he finished on three under.
Nine players, including 42-year-old English debutant David Skinns, will return on Friday morning to complete their first rounds after darkness fell in Florida.
For all the scores from the first round of The Players, click here.