FILTON, Pa. – Keith Mitchell led the birdie binge at the Truist Championship Thursday, beating a career-best 61 shot at the Philadelphia Cricket Club to break a career-best 91 shot.
Colin St Maxen, Zac Blair and Angus Flanagan have recorded 65 previous Wissahickon courses. The 7,100-yard Aw tillinghast design features a modest 4-shot and obtainable pin position, which is the victim of long hitters and an aggressive shot with short iron and wedges.
Mitchell had no bogey and had a 59 outdoor chance on the 18th hole (his 18th hole). He hit the 9-foot-plus method and settled down to lead with a closing ceremony and a shot at Denny McCarthy. Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Sepp Straka and Akshay Bhatia shoot 63.
Rory McIlroy has started for the first time since finishing his Masters career Grand Slam, with his career at 66, one of 64 players to beat PAR in the sixth signature event on the PGA Tour.
Mitchell led the way, despite winning five consecutive wins in the next nine. The 33-year-old bird began to heat up in the 17th and 18th holes. The birds in two of his last three holes continued, before running the four birds inwardly 29 below 29.
Mitchell said he had a partner who was a member of Philadelphia cricket and had received some Intel before he arrived. However, he praised the work he and his caddies did earlier this week, and researching the greens laid the foundation for his success.
“I just drew my own efforts on Mondays and Wednesdays Mondays and Wednesdays to figure out what to hit and where to try to put the ball on the green,” Mitchell said. “If you nailed high above the hole on the wrong side, you might have a very fast putt and have a lot of rest.”
The 32-year-old McCarthy, who lost twice in the playoffs and had no victory on the tour, got a quick start, including five consecutive birdies of No. 11-15. He opened nine introverts with back-to-back birds and added two to make him satisfying, but it wasn’t surprising to him.
“I’ve been doing well lately, so that doesn’t really surprise me,” he said. “There are a lot of golf. It’s a really good start. I’m on how popular my game has been lately.”
Defending champion and four-time champion McIlroy left his active game plan to try to push the layout over with the driver off the tee. He had two stumbling blocks along the way: on a three-shot 11 and a bogey of 570 yards, and in a 5-15 15 he missed the fairway and green at 243 yards.
McIlroy quickly surpassed his first round mistake.
“I think it’s good,” McIlroy said of his six birdies and two bogeys. “I drove the ball well. I missed it in a few spots, but kind of got rid of it.”
McIlroy played for the first time in about two weeks in celebrating his Masters and No. 12 in New Orleans, where he and Irishman Shane Lowry defended the championship. He admitted that his game was not the highest.
“I felt a little rusty, just haven’t played in a week, I haven’t really done a lot of exercises, especially around the green and around,” he said. “I can certainly sort out some things, but overall it’s a good day.”
Alex Noren returns to the tour for the first time since August due to neck and leg injuries. The 42-year-old Swedish opened with a 67-shot and is happy to be back and looking forward to fine-tuning his game.
“For a long time, it’s weird,” he said. “I’ve been expecting a little nervous and the flow of adrenaline and then getting sharper. You’re practicing short play around for a while. It’s not that inspiring when you really don’t know when you can come back. Finally, for the last two weeks, it’s a feeling of two consecutive weeks. The hamstrings are going on.”
