Travelers Championship: Rory McIlroy makes strong ...

Scottie Scheffler took a share of the lead after the opening spherical of the Vacationers Championship, whereas Rory McIlroy made a robust begin to sit two photographs again. 

Scheffler appeared set to assert the solo lead as he moved to 9 below with two holes to go, however the World No 1 made the one bogey of his spherical on the seventeenth and parred the final to finish Thursday stage with fellow American Austin Eckroat.

Scheffler and McIlroy, who had shared the primary two majors of the yr, each did not get into severe rivalry for the US Open final weekend, however bounced again from that disappointment in excellent fashion.

Masters champion McIlroy did not get into the combo as JJ Spaun gained the third main of the season, however picked up the place he left off with a robust ultimate spherical at Oakmont to make a bogey-free begin at TPC River Highlands.

McIlroy, among the many earlier starters in Cromwell, New England, made three birdies both aspect of the flip to maneuver inside two photographs of the early benchmark set by Eckroat.

“Total it was an excellent begin to the event,” McIlroy mentioned.

“I simply need to see some good golf and see some higher photographs. I feel if you happen to think about that and you might be concentrating in your high quality of golf and concentrating on simply attempting to play to the very best of your capacity, the outcome will care for itself.

“There is no level in fascinated by the outcome proper now. I am simply attempting to play nearly as good as I can and make good swings, and if I try this sufficient, greater than possible I am going to discover myself able to have an opportunity to win.”

Scheffler, enjoying within the day’s penultimate pairing, raced to 5 below on the flip after which made an eagle on the par-five thirteenth between birdies on the twelfth and fifteenth to go clear on 9 below.

Nonetheless, he missed the green on the testing seventeenth and failed to search out the inexperienced along with his method, earlier than lacking a 14-foot likelihood for par.

McIlroy was joined on six-under by enjoying companion and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, together with former US Open champion Wyndham Clark.

McIlroy’s European Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland additionally made stable begins, each capturing 66 to sit down 4 off the lead.

Scheffler’s enjoying companion Spaun failed to keep up his kind after his claiming his first main, capturing three-over par to depart close to the underside of the leaderboard.

Three-time main winner Jordan Spieth withdrew when five-over after 12 holes as he struggled with ache in his neck and again.

McIlroy had spoken forward of the event of his optimism {that a} robust end to the US Open had helped him flip a nook by way of his kind, and he swiftly backed up that logic as a nice method to the quick par-four second arrange a primary birdie.

He took benefit of the primary par 5 by knocking in a 20-footer for birdie on the sixth, and shortly picked up one other shot after a shocking method to the prolonged par-three eighth.

The Northern Irishman would capitalise on the one different par 5 on the course with one other birdie on the thirteenth, after which delivered a easy up and down to realize one other stroke on the quick par-four fifteenth.

McIlroy made a uncommon error along with his tee shot on the seventeenth however hit an excellent restoration from the tough over the water to search out the center of the inexperienced, after which rolled in a putt of virtually 30 toes for a bonus birdie.

Friday’s second spherical will see McIlroy play alongside Bradley as soon as extra, with the pairing teeing off at 6.45pm. Scheffler begins

Watch the PGA Tour’s Vacationers Championship stay on Sky Sports activities from Thursday to Sunday or stream without a contract on NOW

Get the very best costs and e book a spherical at considered one of 1,700 programs throughout the UK & Eire