Rory McIlroy shoots an opening -4 round of 67 at Quail Hollow
Day one of Wells Fargo Championship was delayed by one hour due to rain. Rory McIlroy played the first round with Tom Kim and Max Homa. McIlroy had a pep in his step due to his recent 25th PGA Tour win at New Orleans with Shane Lowry. The Northern Irishman loves playing at Quail Hollow especially with winning the Wells Fargo Championship three times in 2010, 2015 and 2021. McIlroy found a hot flatstick as he held an eagle putt at the seventh hole to reach -5. Four-time major champion finished the front nine with a bogey to shoot 31.
McIlroy started the back nine with a birdie at the 10th hole but followed it up with a disappointing bogey at 11. The Northern Irishman hit a sensational iron shot at 216 yard par three 13th and held his birdie putt to reach -5. The 14th & 15th hole at Quail Hollow are great birdie opportunities with a short par four and a reachable par five but McIlroy played these two holes in a disappointing +1. The 16th hole is the start of Green Mile and McIlroy made short work of this hole with a 350 yard drive, a great nine iron and held his 10 foot birdie putt to reach -6.
McIlroy is trying to hit a fade which is questionable as his go to shot is a draw. McIlroy missed the fairway at 18 his second shot came up short and was unsuccessful with a five-foot par effort. McIlroy shot an opening round of 67 and is tied second with Collin Morikawa & Alex Noren. The highlight of Xander Schauffele’s round was an eagle at his 16th hole and leads on -7 due to an opening 64. Seamus Power got off to a quick start with playing holes one and two in -2 but shot a back nine of 39 to finish +1. Lowry is also participating at Quail Hollow but opened up with a disappointing +4 round of 75.
Greystone Golf and Country Club is the venue for this week’s Champions Tour major. Padraig Harrington’s back nine of 31 included four birdies in a row to shoot an opening round of 65. Harrington will head into day two tied for the lead -7 with Ernie Els, Chris DiMarco, Steve Flesch and Doug Barron. Upper Montclair is the venue for this week’s LPGA Tour Cognizant Founders Cup. Leona Maguire’s round of 66 included two nines of 33. Maguire -6 will head into day two three shots behind -9 leader Rose Zhang.