The Players: Rory McIlroy makes sluggish start to ...

Sepp Straka and Sahith Theegala are a part of a five-way tie for the early lead at The Gamers, as Rory McIlroy made a sluggish begin to his title defence at TPC Sawgrass.

Maverick McNealy set the preliminary clubhouse goal after an opening-round 67 on the PGA Tour’s flagship occasion, the place play was halted for 20 minutes mid-round as a result of harmful climate.

Straka posted 5 birdies in his bogey-free begin and Lee Hodges made 4 birdies in a six-hole stretch to additionally get to 5 beneath, with Theegala make it a four-way tie having made a three-birdie begin to his spherical.

Austin Smotherman additionally reached 5 beneath with one gap remaining when play was suspended at 7.37pm native time (11.37pm) as a result of darkness, with the American dealing with a 15-foot birdie putt for the outright lead when he returns on Friday morning.

Former Gamers champion Justin Thomas birdied three of his final 5 holes to get inside one of many lead, with Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg and Xander Schauffele all within the logjam two off the tempo.

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler carded a level-par 72 as he appears to be like to win the occasion for a 3rd time in 4 years, as McIlroy – who solely arrived on Wednesday afternoon as a result of a again difficulty and entered with out a follow spherical – registered only one birdie in a two-over 74.

“I do not really feel like I am that far-off,” McIlroy stated. “Nobody went actually low this afternoon, which I anticipated them to, simply because the situations have been fairly benign. If I can exit and shoot a great one tomorrow, I really feel like I will be proper in it for the weekend.”

Extra to observe…

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