Rorylandia is about to dethrone Bonanza as the longest-running television broadcast. The popular American series from the 50s, 60s and 70s reached 14 seasons and 431 episodes. Meanwhile, Rorylandia remains on the schedule with more relevance than ever. In fact, today at the THE PLAYERS Championship we have seen the latest episode. The umpteenth. Bonanza, tremble.
Rory McIlroy (-7) has signed a 65-stroke card with two balls in the water on the first day of the PGA Tour franchise tournament. He is the provisional leader tied with Xander Schauffele. Classic Rorylandia. The Northern Irishman has displayed a very high level of golf. Not in vain, he has achieved ten birdies, equaling the absolute record in the history of THE PLAYERS since it is played on the Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass.
Rory has given a recital with the irons and the putter. Only the driver has put him in trouble on hole 18 and 7. Identical error. To the left. The same thing happened to him on hole 18 of the Dubai Invitational, when he lost the tournament with Tommy Fleetwood. McIlroy himself has commented at the end of the round that it is a recurring failure that worries him and that he must find a solution.
Those two balls in the water have cost him three strokes, bogey on 18 and double bogey on 7. Rory’s things. He has failed the drive on two of the most difficult holes in Sawgrass. However, apart from those two accidents, his round has been masterful. He has hunted 15 greens in regulation and has been stuffed with birdie putts from more than reasonable distances. It was a lady’s response to Scottie Scheffler‘s exhibition on Sunday at Bay Hill. Seven of the ten birdies have been from less than three meters.
The classification of THE PLAYERS has taken very little time to get colour. Up there are McIlroy and Schauffele. Fine cinnamon. Xander has been saying for a while that yes, everything is very good in his golf, but that it is time to win Majors or THE PLAYERS. The boy is serious. His has been, above all, an exhibition from the tee. Immaculate round without bogeys.
The first round is leaving us very low results. The playing conditions are perfect. Not a drop of wind blows and the greens, for now, are quite receptive. The rough punishes a lot, but if you manage to be in position you can make many birdies.
Up there have already placed players of the stature of Nick Taylor (-6), winner in Phoenix, Jason Day (-5), finer every week, Tom Hoge (-5), whose impeccable tee to green game seems to have been born to play on this course, Ludvig Aberg (-5), Corey Conners (-4) or Sepp Straka (-4). As you can see, few surprises, what is expected at THE PLAYERS, that the so-called ballstrikers, solid golfers from tee to green, stand out.
The first day is leaving other important moments. Ryan Fox has made the first hole in one of the week on 17 and Tom Kim has retired after his eighth hole due to illness. Among the stuffed, Ben Kohles (+8) stands out, who came out as the clear leader of the Puerto Rico Open four days ago, or Vincent Norrman (+5).
