Rory McIlroy and his close friend Shane Lowry both delivered strong performances in the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. After 18 holes, McIlroy is just three shots behind the early leader, Wyndham Clark, with a 2-under 70.
McIlroy, who teed off at 1pm ET, registered six birdies and four bogeys. Lowry, teeing off earlier, managed to improve on McIlroy’s score, finishing with a 3-under 69.
The conditions for the afternoon starters were a bit more forgiving compared to the morning, with McIlroy acknowledging that those who teed off later got a “reprieve” from the tougher weather conditions. “It was still breezy, but not quite as tough as the guys got it this morning,” McIlroy said.
Despite the challenging conditions, McIlroy believes the test is more mental than physical, describing it as less brutal than events like the Scottish Open.
Having won this event in 2018, McIlroy enjoys the challenge that Bay Hill presents. “The course demands good ball striking and excellent control with your irons, especially with the wind conditions today,” McIlroy explained. “It’s a second-shot golf course, and that’s something I feel I excel at.”
McIlroy is now three shots behind leader Wyndham Clark, who leads the field at 5-under. The tournament features a 36-hole cut, with the top 50 players and ties, along with anyone within 10 shots of the lead, advancing to the weekend. The winner will earn a prize of $4 million.
Round 1 Leaderboard:
- W. Clark -5
T2. K. Bradley -3
T2. C. Conners -3
T2. C. Bezuidenhout -3
T2. S. Lowry -2
T6. C. Davis -2
T6. M. Greyserman -2
T6. R. McIlroy -2
T11. S. Scheffler -1
T11. C. Morikawa -1
The tournament continues with high expectations for the players as they head into the next rounds.
