Day one review of DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and PGA Tour

PGA National is the venue for 2024 Cognizant Classic. Shane Lowry played his first round with Camilo Villegas and Matthieu Pavon. Rory McIlroy’s playing partners for day one were Chris Kirk and Jake Knapp. Both McIlroy’s and Lowry’s group started their first round at the par five 10th hole. A sensational up and down from a greenside bunker would result in an opening birdie for McIlroy. Four-time major champion played holes 10 to 13 in one under.

McIlroy’s second shot from 163 yards at 14 set up a 26 foot birdie effort but had to settle for a par. McIlroy made pars at 15 & 16 before taking advantage of a great tee shot at 179 yard par three 17th hole to reach two under. Lowry made two fantastic birdies at 16 and 18 to shoot a front nine of 34. McIlroy made it two birdies in a row at 18 to shoot a front nine of 33. After nine holes Lowry two under and McIlroy three under.

McIlroy missed the green with a pitching wedge at his 10th hole. Northern Irishman played an excellent bunker shot and held his par putt to remain three under. Lowry started his back nine with a bogey but reached three under after a sensational eagle at the par five third hole. An impressive second shot as Lowry reaches four under after 13 holes. McIlroy’s second shot from 209 at the par five third hole ended up in a greenside bunker but was successful in achieving a tap in birdie.

Lowry held a fantastic putt to avoid a bogey at his 14th hole. Three-time FedEx Cup champion remains four under after pars at his 13th and 14th hole. 2019 Champion Golfer Of The Year achieved pars at five, six and seven to remain four under. An extraordinary eight iron as McIlroy advances to five under after 15 holes. Lowry and McIlroy were both unsuccessful in achieving a par at the par four eight hole.

A great second shot from 139 yards as Lowry finishes his first round with a closing birdie to shoot 67. McIlroy finishes with a closing par on nine to shoot 67. Padraig Harrington got off to a quick start with been two under after three holes. Harrington dropped a shot at the sixth hole but managed to shoot a front nine of 34. Harrington’s back nine included two birdies, one bogey and a double bogey to shoot an opening round of level par. Lowry & McIlroy are both on four under and three shots behind joint leaders Chad Ramey & Seong-hyeon Kim.

Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin is participating at this week’s DP World Tour event in South Africa. St Francis Links is a par 72. McKibbin got off to a perfect start with been two under after three holes. McKibbin made his final birdie of the front nine at hole eight to shoot 33. McKibbin shot a back nine of even par which included two birdies and two bogeys. McKibbin shot an opening round of three under and is four shots behind joint leaders Pieter Moolman & Shaun Norris.

This week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship takes place at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore. Leona Maguire’s highlight of day one came at the third hole as she held her second shot for an incredible eagle. Maguire reached three under after a birdie at the par three fourth hole. Cavan native dropped a shot at the seventh hole but managed to shoot a front nine of 34. Maguire made three birdies on the back nine but also dropped three shots to shoot an opening round of 70. Maguire is currently in a tie for fifth on two under and two shots behind leader Sarah Schmelzel.