Rory McIlroy insisted he has nothing to prove to LIV Golf or anybody else after scorching into the early lead with an eight-under 62 within the $8.3m (£6.7m) Travelers Championship.
s Londonderry’s Ruaidhri McGee shot a nine-under 61 on simply his second start for 2 years to lead by three on the Challenge Tour, McIlroy continued his sizzling run at TPC River Highlands.
Playing his fourth occasion in a row earlier than taking two weeks off to put together for The Open, the World No.2 turned in three underneath earlier than protecting the entrance 9 in a blistering five-under 30 to lead by a shot from Xander Schauffele and Scot Martin Laird.
“It’s like the anti-US Open here,” McIlroy joked. “It’s like US Open rehab coming here. You’re like, ‘Oh, I can actually make some birdies. This is nice’.”
Continuing the shape that introduced him victory within the Canadian Open and a tie for fifth at Brookline in his final two begins, McIlroy insisted his performances have nothing to do with him making an attempt to solid the PGA Tour in a good mild.
“I don’t think so,” McIlroy stated. “I just think it so happens that the most protective of the PGA Tour are the best players in the world right now. I’m not going out to try to prove anything to anyone.”
That stated, he’s supportive of commissioner Jay Monahan and his plans to revamp the PGA Tour by dramatically rising purses at eight occasions and creating a three-event worldwide sequence within the autumn for the game’s prime gamers.
“I’m sure it’ll have some guys that were thinking about it thinking twice and maybe reconsidering their decision,” McIlroy stated of Monahan’s plans.
It was additionally an incredible day for McGee (31), who shot a 62 in his first tour start for 2 years within the Czech Republic final week and yesterday made two eagles in his first eight holes en route to a nine-under 61 and a three-shot lead at the Blot Open de Bretagne in Brittany.
“I’m delighted with my round today,” stated McGee, who took a break from the game and moved to Florida throughout the pandemic.
“I haven’t been taking part in competitively for a couple of years now and that is solely my second Challenge Tour occasion of the season.
“I’ve probably played more golf being in Florida than I would have back at home. I’ve been playing every day and sometimes getting in 36 holes which has helped.”
Tramore’s Robin Dawson was 14th after a 67 and Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy 51st on degree par however Paul McBride and Gavin Moynihan have been 74th after 71s as Tom McKibbin shot 72 and Rowan Lester and John Murphy struggled to 77s.
There was additionally low scoring at the DP World Tour’s BMW International Open in Munich the place China’s Li Haotong (26) carded a course record-equalling 10-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead at Golfclub München Eichenried.
Niall Kearney shot 72 to share 89th and 75s left Jonathan Caldwell and Cormac Sharvin 136th.
It’s a main week on the LPGA Tour and Jordanstown’s Stephanie Meadow was tied forty first after opening with a one-over 73 within the KPMG Women’s PGA at a lengthy and demanding Congressional Country Club in Maryland, the place Cavan’s Leona Maguire was a later afternoon starter on the primary day.
Meadow was nonetheless 9 photographs behind runaway chief In Gee Chun of Korea, who made 9 birdies and a bogey in an unimaginable eight underneath 63 to lead by seven strokes from compatriot A Lim Kim.
In the rain-lashed US Senior Open in Pennsylvania, Pádraig Harrington struggled early on the greens however opened with a level-par 71 at Saucon Valley Country Club to lie simply two photographs behind clubhouse chief Paul Goydos as taking part in companion Darren Clarke bogeyed two of his final three holes to shoot 74.
Meanwhile, AIG Irish Women’s Close champion Beth Coulter bowed out of the Women’s Amateur Championship when she fell 2&1 to England’s Jessica Baker within the last-32 at Hunstanton.