Rory McIlroy said he was using this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship as a chance to “see where my game is.”
Judging by Thursday’s performance, it’s not in a good place.
McIlroy played his final three holes in 4 over par to shoot 4-over 74 in Round 1 pf the playoff opener at TPC Southwind.
On a day in which the feels-like temperature in Memphis, Tennessee, was 110 degrees, McIlroy wilted down the stretch with a bogey on the par-5 16th, a bogey on the par-4 17th and a double bogey to close. McIlroy hit his tee shot into the water on the par-4-18th and then needed two attempts around the green to get onto the putting surface.
McIlroy made bogey Thursday on both of the par 5s, lost 2.14 shots to the field with his approach game, and hit only half of the fairways and half of the greens.
He didn’t speak to media after the round.
His playing competitor, however, did. Though, there wasn’t much to say.
World No. 1 and current FedExCup points leader Scottie Scheffler shot 2-under 68 with three birdies and one bogey. He was three off the lead while McIlroy, who is 12th in FEC points, was third-to-last in the field of 69.
“I felt like I hit a lot of quality shots with my irons. It was just – you know, I did a good job of being patient and not trying to force it too much,” Scheffler said. “I feel like I was right on the edge of having a good day … is how I would describe it. So, I felt like patience-wise, I did a pretty good job.”
Both will be tested even more by the extreme conditions Friday when they go out at 12:30 p.m. ET.
