Justin Thomas Shines at THE PLAYERS as Rory McIlroy Falters
Justin Thomas delivered a strong opening round at TPC Sawgrass, shooting a 68 on Thursday. At THE PLAYERS, Justin Thomas produced a lively performance while Rory McIlroy battled rust and limited preparation.
The first day was windy and rainy at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Play produced a five-way tie for the lead after round one.
Thomas rediscovers feel
Thomas birdied three holes early, including a tidy tee shot at the par-4 10th. He followed that with an up-and-down from the bunker on 11 and a spun wedge to six feet on 12.
He made bogeys at 17 and 18 but added three birdies on his inward nine. The 68 left him one shot behind the overnight leaders.
Thomas played alongside Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood. He beat Scheffler by four strokes and Fleetwood by one in their pairing.
The week followed a rough Bay Hill showing where Thomas shot 14 over two rounds. He had undergone back surgery last fall and left Bay Hill early.
McIlroy fights through rust and recovery
Rory McIlroy carded a 74 in the first round. He appeared about 10 percent off his usual timing.
McIlroy had not set foot on the course until roughly 24 hours before his tee time. Between rounds he hit about 30 shots and played no practice holes.
The defending champion said his back had settled enough to compete. He remained seven shots behind the leaders after day one.
Other notable developments
- Collin Morikawa withdrew after a back flare-up on the second hole Thursday morning.
- World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot even-par 72. He then worked on the range in heavy rain with coach Randy Smith.
- Sahith Theegala recovered from a snap-hooked approach into the par-5 ninth. He executed a complex bunker shot and saved par.
- Max Homa holed an eagle from the 10th fairway. His eagle counted toward Morgan Stanley’s Eagles for Impact program.
- J.T. Poston logged 245 balls on the range Thursday, according to TOURCAST Range data.
Morgan Stanley Eagles for Impact
The program donates $5,000 for each eagle or double eagle to The First Tee. Thursday’s total contributions reached $45,000.
Filmogaz.com will continue coverage from TPC Sawgrass throughout the week. The storylines to watch include Thomas’ momentum and McIlroy’s recovery in round two.
