Rory McIlroy made a slow start to his final PGA Tour event ahead of The Masters by carding an opening-round 70 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
The FedExCup leader, already a winner at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players this season, has opted for a first Houston appearance since 2014 to prepare for his bid to complete the career Grand Slam next month at Augusta National.
McIlroy – playing in the morning wave – mixed two birdies with as many bogeys on the par-70 layout at the Memorial Park Golf Course, with a frustrating day on the greens seeing him make just 49 feet of putts, leaving him five strokes off the early leaders.
McIlroy is looking to complete the career Grand Slam at The Masters next month and claim a first major title since 2014
The world No 2 – starting on the back nine – missed from eight feet to save par at the 14th and failed to take advantage of the par-five 16th, before undoing his first birdie of the day at the par-five third by dropping a shot at the next.
McIlroy remained over par until a tap-in birdie at the par-five eighth – his penultimate hole of the day – with the 35-year-old needing an improved performance on Friday to make sure he avoids a first missed cut since The Open.
“A little pedestrian, I guess is a good way to describe it,” McIlroy said. “We had to deal with those conditions early on, rainy and not too pleasant to play in.
Rory McIlroy carded a level-par 70 in his opening round
“Made a few par saves early on that I needed to and then had quite a few chances on the second nine there that I didn’t convert.
“Yeah, sort of tale of two halves. I felt like I was scrambling for the most part on the first nine and then I feel like I left a couple out there on the last nine.”
Taylor Pendrith, Keith Mitchell, Ryan Gerard and Alejandro Tosti all share the lead on five under, while European Ryder Cup hopefuls Victor Perez and Rasmus Hojgaard are both in the group a shot off the pace.
Scottie Scheffler is a further shot back after a bogey-free start, with the world No 1 – searching for a maiden win of the season ahead of his title defence at Augusta National next month – registering three birdies in his round.
Scottie Scheffler (right) is chasing a first win of the season, while Rickie Fowler (left) needs a win to qualify for The Masters
“I felt like I started to play a little bit better on the back nine,” Scheffler said. “The first nine I was kind of getting it around a little bit but still post a score today. Conditions were pretty tough out there today with the rain and the wind, so overall nice to keep a clean card.”
The first round was suspended due to darkness at 7.28pm local time (12.28pm GMT), with Taylor Dickson – two off the lead with three holes to play – among those unable to finish.
England’s Harry Hall posted a two-under 68 and Rickie Fowler – playing with Scheffler – sits a further stroke adrift, while defending champion Stephan Jaeger is alongside McIlroy on level par.
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