Rory McIlroy picked up his first ace on the PGA Tour, but America’s Denny McCarthy took the opening round lead with a blistering 60 at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
The Northern Irishman’s hole-in-one on the 214-yard eighth was the clear highlight on a mixed session for the US Open runner-up, who finished two-under-par on a day of low scores.
It was McIlroy’s first ace in competition since he made one in Abu Dhabi on the European tour in 2015.
Meanwhile, McCarthy shot the lowest round of his career after setting a blistering early pace with four straight birdies to open his tournament. He added five more without dropping a shot en route to a score of 10-under-par.
He leads by two from compatriot Keegan Bradley and Australian veteran Adam Scott. Ireland’s Shane Lowry is four shots back after carding a bogey-free round of 64.
