Rory McIlroy etched his name into the annals of golf history on Thursday at The PLAYERS Championship, delivering a stellar performance that included a record-tying 10 birdies during his impressive 7-under 65 round.
This remarkable display catapulted McIlroy into a tie for the lead alongside Xander Schauffele on the leaderboard.
Following a disappointing final round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Northern Irishman dedicated himself to honing his skills in the days leading up to this tournament.
Reflecting on his stellar performance, McIlroy remarked, “It’s probably been one of my best days in a while, which is nice.”
His 10 birdies in a single round at The PLAYERS not only matched a record but also marked his highest tally in 641 days, harking back to the 2022 Canadian Open’s final round, as noted by the Athletic’s Justin Ray.
This feat puts McIlroy in esteemed company, joining only four other players who have achieved 10 birdies in a round, with the most recent being Justin Thomas in 2021 when he clinched victory at the same event.
McIlroy’s resurgence was evident across all aspects of his game. Despite recent struggles with his putting, he currently leads the field after gaining 3.593 strokes on the greens. His approach game saw significant improvement, with McIlroy picking up 3.778 strokes, the second-best in the field, underscoring his commitment to refining his skills.
Starting his day on the back nine, McIlroy got off to a blistering start with three consecutive birdies. He continued his momentum with three more birdies in the following five holes before a setback at the 18th.
A tap-in birdie on the par-5 2nd hole saw McIlroy reach 6-under, with subsequent birdies at the 4th and 6th, further bolstering his scorecard.
However, a double-bogey on the seventh momentarily halted his progress, prompting a deliberation with fellow players Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland regarding a drop after his tee shot landed in the water.
Undeterred, McIlroy reclaimed his momentum on the 9th, securing his historic 10th birdie from 17 feet to finish at 7-under.
Reflecting on his round, McIlroy expressed satisfaction, saying, “It was disappointing not to get that up-and-down on 7, but that’s probably why I give it a little mini-fist pump on 9 to feel like I got one of those shots back.”
McIlroy’s accomplishment is all the more impressive considering his two penalty shots, underscoring the difficulty of achieving such a feat on the challenging TPC Sawgrass course.
Looking ahead, McIlroy aims to build upon his stellar performance as he tees off alongside Hovland and Spieth at 1:40 p.m. ET on Friday.
McIlroy’s exceptional showing on Day 1 marks a departure from his previous struggles at this event, setting a positive tone for the remainder of the tournament.
