Travelers Championship: Rory McIlroy makes strong start on return to PGA Tour action following US Open disappointment | Golf News

Scottie Scheffler took a share of the lead after the opening round of the Travelers Championship, while Rory McIlroy made a strong start to sit two shots back. 

Scheffler looked set to claim the solo lead as he moved to nine under with two holes to go, but the World No 1 made the only bogey of his round at the 17th and parred the last to end Thursday level with fellow American Austin Eckroat.

Scheffler and McIlroy, who had shared the first two majors of the year, both failed to get into serious contention for the US Open last weekend, but bounced back from that disappointment in superb style.

Masters champion McIlroy failed to get into the mix as JJ Spaun won the third major of the season, but picked up where he left off with a strong final round at Oakmont to make a bogey-free start at TPC River Highlands.

McIlroy, among the earlier starters in Cromwell, New England, made three birdies either side of the turn to move within two shots of the early benchmark set by Eckroat.

“Overall it was a good start to the tournament,” McIlroy said.

“I just want to see some good golf and see some better shots. I think if you concentrate on that and you are concentrating on your quality of golf and concentrating on just trying to play to the best of your ability, the result will take care of itself.

“There’s no point in thinking about the result right now. I’m just trying to play as good as I can and make good swings, and if I do that enough, more than likely I’ll find myself in a position to have a chance to win.”

Scheffler, playing in the day’s penultimate pairing, raced to five under at the turn and then made an eagle at the par-five 13th between birdies at the 12th and 15th to go clear on nine under.

However, he missed the fairway at the testing 17th and failed to find the green with his approach, before missing a 14-foot chance for par.

McIlroy was joined on six-under by playing partner and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, along with former US Open champion Wyndham Clark.

McIlroy’s European Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland also made solid starts, both shooting 66 to sit four off the lead.

Scheffler’s playing partner Spaun failed to maintain his form after his claiming his first major, shooting three-over par to leave near the bottom of the leaderboard.

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth withdrew when five-over after 12 holes as he struggled with pain in his neck and back.

McIlroy had spoken ahead of the tournament of his optimism that a strong finish to the US Open had helped him turn a corner in terms of his form, and he swiftly backed up that logic as a fine approach to the short par-four second set up a first birdie.

He took advantage of the first par five by knocking in a 20-footer for birdie at the sixth, and soon picked up another shot after a stunning approach to the lengthy par-three eighth.

The Northern Irishman would capitalise on the only other par five on the course with another birdie at the 13th, and then delivered a simple up and down to gain another stroke at the short par-four 15th.

McIlroy made a rare error with his tee shot at the 17th but hit a superb recovery from the rough over the water to find the heart of the green, and then rolled in a putt of almost 30 feet for a bonus birdie.

Friday’s second round will see McIlroy play alongside Bradley once more, with the pairing teeing off at 6.45pm. Scheffler begins

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