Rory McIlroy tied-second after bogey free start at Travelers Championship

Rory McIlroy continued his return to form with a blemish-free six-under 64 in the opening round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
McIlroy, who concluded his US Open with a closing 67 to sneak inside the top-20 at Oakmont, recorded six birdies with no dropped strokes at the somewhat more forgiving TPC River Highlands to lie tied-second, two shots adrift of leader Aaron Eckroat midway through Day 1.
The Masters champion drained an early six-footer for birdie at the second, adding further birdies before the turn at the par-5 sixth and the short eighth hole after hitting his tee-shot to 3ft.
On the back nine, more birdies followed at the par-5 13th and the short par-4 15th after almost driving the green and two-putting.
He reached six-under at the penultimate hole, sinking a 28ft birdie putt. He's joined in the clubhouse at six-under by playing partner and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, and 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clark.
Cameron Young is one stroke further back on five-under, while there is a large cluster of players in the clubhouse on four-under, including Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Jason Day.
Shane Lowry is even par after six holes of his opening round. The 2019 Open champion opened with a bogey before sinking a 19-footer for birdie on the third.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, has made an ominously strong start to his opening round with three birdies in his opening four holes to get to three-under.

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