Lowry is having his best start at Bay Hill yet, but McIlroy, who is seven strokes the pace going into the second round, will have to work hard to make the cut.
At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Shane Lowry stormed to the top of the leaderboard after opening round play with a birdie at the par three 17th.
Following a disheartening loss in the Cognizant Classic the previous week, Lowry moved ahead of Justin Lower and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan at Bay Hill with a six-under 66.
Lowry began the back nine birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie, chipping in from 18 feet for eagle at the par-five 12th hole, after finishing the front nine holes one under par. However, a bogey on the 14th hole ended his run.
On 17, a superb tee shot that found itself eight feet from the pin brought up the winning birdie and gave the clubhouse lead.
But at a course where he has historically struggled—missing the cut five times out of six—Lowry sounded a note of caution.
“Today was perhaps the best putter I’ve ever had around here. There’s still today, “he remarked. “I’m going out there tomorrow with nothing less than complete commitment. I’m still going out there and attempting to hit the first putt, hit the first green, and hit the first fairway.
“I won’t try to brag about myself. I believe that major tournaments are approaching, and as I mentioned last week, this week—THE PLAYERS—will be a good opportunity to regain some form, with the Masters rapidly approaching. Yes, we’ll simply wait and watch over the coming days.”
McIlroy is ‘moving in the right direction’.
Russell Henley, Lee Hodges, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Brian Harman, Will Zalatoris, and Canadian Nick Taylor are in a group tied for fourth place at four under par, much behind the nearest pursuers, Lower and Matsuyama. After rounding in 70, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and Australia’s Jason Day are all a stroke further down.
McIlroy finds it difficult to cut at Bay Hill
The Arnold Palmer Invitational is a player-hosted invitational with a $20 million purse, but it’s also a signature tournament with a 36-hole cut to the top 50 players and ties. That’s poor news for Tommy Fleetwood of England and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who are in a group tied for 49th place at one over 73.
Following his narrow miss on the fourteenth hole in the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Rory McIlroy reacts.
In response after missing his putt on the fourteenth green in the Arnold Palmer Invitational opening round, Rory McIlroy reacts.
In addition to Rickie Fowler (75), Patrick Cantlay (74), and Matt Fitzpatrick of England (74), the reigning champion Kurt Kitayama (who is currently second-to-last in the field of 69 players) had a terrible start.
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are two of the prominent names competing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which is held in Florida for the PGA Tour. On Friday, early coverage starts at 12:45 p.m. from Bay Hill, and complete coverage starts at 7 p.m.
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