Latest news with #RoryMcIlroy
BreakingNews.ie
19 minutes ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Rory McIlroy trails by two as Scottie Scheffler holds share of lead
Rory McIlroy made an impressive start to the Travelers Championship to sit two shots off the lead before world number one Scottie Scheffler later laid down a marker to defend his title in Connecticut. Masters champion McIlroy had finished tied for 19th at the US Open over a punishing Oakmont course – but ended the weekend on a positive following a three-under-par final round, which was the joint best of the day. Advertisement The Northern Irishman – who saw his driver ruled as 'non-conforming' ahead of last month's PGA Championship before then missing the cut at the Canadian Open – had been looking to build some momentum at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell as focus turns towards the Open at Royal Portrush. Rory McIlroy made an impressive start in Cromwell (Jessica Hill/AP) World number two McIlroy landed a birdie at the second and then sank two more ahead of the turn at the final PGA Tour Signature Event of 2025. After picking up another couple, a further birdie at the 17th – from the best part of 30 feet having hit a fine recovery shot out of the rough and over the water onto the green – saw him finish six under with 64 to sit in a tie for second, two shots behind early clubhouse leader Austin Eckroat. American Eckroat hit a fine eight-under round, which included an eagle at the par-three 13th and a sixth birdie at the 18th. Advertisement Scottie joins Eckroat atop the leaderboard with a 62 (-8) of his own!👏 — TravelersChamp (@TravelersChamp) June 19, 2025 Scheffler was one of the late starters paired alongside newly-crowned US Open champion JJ Spaun – who unlike his playing partner endured a perhaps expected tough round to finish three-over following successive bogeys on the closing two holes. There was, though, no such trouble for Scheffler, who never looked back after three birdies from the opening four holes. The American – who landed a third major title with the PGA Championship crown at Quail Hollow during May – then picked up an eagle on the 13th and another birdie at 15, before a bogey at the 17th was the only blemish on his eight-under 62. McIlroy's playing partner Keegan Bradley is also at six-under, having dropped a shot at the 12th, alongside Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion. Advertisement Out of position? Not for Rory McIlroy. He is 6-under @TravelersChamp 👀 📺 @PGATOURLIVE on ESPN+ — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 19, 2025 'Overall it was a good start to the tournament, and I think when you're in a two-ball like that and we can sort of feed off one another a little bit too, that's nice as well,' McIlroy said after his opening round. 'I just want to see some good golf and see some better shots. I think if you concentrate on that and you are concentrating on your quality of golf and concentrating on just trying to play to the best of your ability, the result will take care of itself. 'There's no point in thinking about the result right now. I'm just trying to play as good as I can and make good swings, and if I do that enough, more than likely I'll find myself in a position to have a chance to win.' England's Tommy Fleetwood carded a first round of 66 to sit in a group tied for sixth. Advertisement Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, runner-up at Oakmont on Sunday, finished one over following a double-bogey six on the 17th. Jordan Spieth WD during the first round of the Travelers Championship with a neck/upper back injury. — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 19, 2025 Jordan Spieth withdrew during his first round because of a neck/upper back injury. 'I may have just slept wrong and then something came along. I don't know what caused it,' he said. 'I think it was just a random one-off that unfortunately got worse and bad enough on a Thursday that I didn't feel like I could continue.' Advertisement
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Arab News
Scheffler hits a perfect shot and plenty of great ones for a 62 to share lead at Travelers
CROMWELL, Connecticut: Scottie Scheffler had one of those rare rounds where he hit a shot so pure it makes his confidence soar. So many other shots were pretty good, too, and they added to an 8-under 62 to share the lead Thursday with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands, even with the rough just as long (but not quite as thick) as soaked Oakmont. Rory McIlroy played bogey-free for a 66 and didn't look to break too much of a sweat. 'This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe,' McIlroy said. Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine. And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect — that's coming from golf's No. 1 player — and settled 10 feet away for birdie. 'That 3-iron I hit in there was really nice,' Scheffler said. 'It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice.' McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey. 'I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here,' Young said. 'Typically that's not kind of what you expect around here.' Not to worry. He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow. The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. The last two weeks served him well, however, as Eckroat said he figured out how to eliminate the miss to the left. He played the last six holes in 5-under par, starting with a 35-foot eagle putt on No. 13. 'I wasn't fearing the left ball today, which is huge, and then whenever you're feeling comfortable with other things, other things start to fall in line,' Eckroat said. 'Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season. It's been a while.' US Open champion J.J. Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn't help the cause. Playing along Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73. Jordan Spieth didn't even make it to the finish line. This was the first time Spieth didn't need a sponsor exemption for a $20 million signature event, and he only lasted 13 holes when his shoulder blade got tight on the range, spread across the back of his neck to the other side and left him no choice but to withdraw. Scheffler saying he hit a great shot is worth paying attention to because it doesn't happen very often. He rarely hits it offline. But this was something special. 'Hit it really solid and really straight, just barely right of the pin, and kept it nice flat flight, get it to go through the wind, and it was good,' he said. In fact, he could only recall two other shots in recent years — a 6-iron on the fifth hole in the final round at the 2022 Masters, a 9-iron he hit on the par-3 third hole in the final round of the 2023 Players Championship. 'Those are shots that kind of get lost in terms of the tournament,' he said. 'I'm not even sure if I birdied No. 3 at The Players, and I know I didn't birdie No. 5 during the Masters. But those are the shots when you're playing and you're in the moment, those are the ones that give me a lot of confidence.' It's hard to imagine him needing much more of that. He hasn't finished out of the top 10 since The Players in March, a stretch of eight tournaments. He didn't hit the ball very well for two days at the US Open and still had an outside chance on the back nine And in his 19th round at the TPC River Highlands, he posted his lowest score at 62.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Golf Fans Rip ESPN For Adam Schefter Coverage Thursday
Golf Fans Rip ESPN For Adam Schefter Coverage Thursday originally appeared on The Spun. Adam Schefter is getting into a new sport this week. The popular ESPN NFL insider is working as an on-the-course golf reporter at the Travelers Championship on Thursday. He's working a featured group of Rory McIlroy and Keegan Bradley. Schefter, known for his NFL coverage, is a major golf fan as well, working as an on-the-course reporter for ESPN+. Advertisement However, many golf fans are not happy with him. Golf fans have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain about ESPN's over-the-top coverage of Schefter and his golf course shenanigans on Thursday. "We've got Adam Schefter out there calling shots, what else could you want?" the broadcasters said. But golf fans are not happy. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 18: ESPN analyst Adam Schefter on tv broadcast before a game between the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 18, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Bills 34-31. (Photo by)"Boy i think PGA Tour Live really overestimated how much folks want to see Adam Schefter on their TV screens lol. don't need the constant cuts to a man holding a microphone watching some golf" one fan wrote. "ESPN rolling out Adam Schefter for on course PGA Tour coverage is financial surrender," one fan added. Advertisement "It makes zero sense to advertise Adam Schefter as an on-course reporter if the other on-course reporter does all the work and Adam barely speaks," one fan added. "Everything espn does with their reporters is tiresome at this point. I don't care if Darlington is the golf guy, don't care if schefter is either lol. Just show the event," one fan added. "As if it's Adam Schefter's personality that has earned him a following," one fan added. "Thank GOODNESS PGA Tour Live is doing a split screen so we can watch Adam Schefter watch golf. A dream come true," one fan joked. The first round of the Travelers Championship is airing live on ESPN+ on Thursday with the second round coming on Friday. Advertisement Golf Fans Rip ESPN For Adam Schefter Coverage Thursday first appeared on The Spun on Jun 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Powys County Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Rory McIlroy two shots off early clubhouse leader at Travelers Championship
Rory McIlroy made an impressive start to the Travelers Championship to sit two shots off the early clubhouse lead. The Masters champion had finished tied for 19th at the US Open over a punishing Oakmont course – but ended the weekend on a positive following a three-under-par final round, which was the joint best of the day. The Northern Irishman – who saw his driver ruled as 'non-conforming' ahead of last month's PGA Championship before then missing the cut at the Canadian Open – had been looking to build some momentum at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell as focus turns towards the Open at Royal Portrush. World number two McIlroy landed a birdie at the second and then sank two more ahead of the turn at the final PGA Tour Signature Event of 2025. After picking up another couple, a further birdie at the 17th – from the best part of 30 feet having hit a fine recovery shot out of the rough and over the water onto the green – saw him finish six under with 64 to sit in a tie for second, two shots behind early clubhouse leader Austin Eckroat. American Eckroat hit a fine eight-under round, which included an eagle at the par-three 15th and a sixth birdie at the 18th. McIlroy's playing partner Keegan Bradley is also at six-under, having dropped a shot at the 12th, alongside Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion. ANOTHER 🐦 at the 18th gets him in the clubhouse with a 62 (-8)!! He's our early round one leader. 🫡 — TravelersChamp (@TravelersChamp) June 19, 2025 'Overall it was a good start to the tournament, and I think when you're in a two-ball like that and we can sort of feed off one another a little bit too, that's nice as well,' McIlroy said after his opening round. 'I just want to see some good golf and see some better shots. I think if you concentrate on that and you are concentrating on your quality of golf and concentrating on just trying to play to the best of your ability, the result will take care of itself. 'There's no point in thinking about the result right now. I'm just trying to play as good as I can and make good swings, and if I do that enough, more than likely I'll find myself in a position to have a chance to win.' Out of position? Not for Rory McIlroy. He is 6-under @TravelersChamp 👀 📺 @PGATOURLIVE on ESPN+ — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 19, 2025 England's Tommy Fleetwood carded a first round of 66 to sit in a group tied for sixth. Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, runner-up at Oakmont on Sunday, finished one over following a double-bogey six on the 17th. World number one Scottie Scheffler, defending his Travelers Championship title, has been paired with newly-crowned US Open champion JJ Spaun in the later starters.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rory McIlroy Makes Exciting Admission Ahead of Travelers Championship
Rory McIlroy Makes Exciting Admission Ahead of Travelers Championship originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Since winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy has been candid about his struggles to find motivation and recapture the competitive drive that fueled his rise on the PGA Tour—and it's shown in his recent performances. Advertisement After missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open, McIlroy struggled again at Oakmont in the U.S. Open. However, he bounced back with a solid final round on Sunday, shooting a 67 to climb the leaderboard and finish 19th overall at 7-over par. That Sunday surge may have been exactly what he needed to regain some momentum heading into the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, which begins Thursday. The course is known for being birdie-friendly—something McIlroy highlighted in an encouraging admission on Wednesday. 'I missed this event last year, licking my wounds from Pinehurst, but I made a commitment to Travelers to be back this year. I'm excited to be back,' McIlroy said. 'After a week like I had at Oakmont last week, where you're not quite in the mix but feel like you've found something in your game, you're excited to come back and play again.' He continued, 'Yeah, looking forward to the week. This is the perfect sort of chaser for what Oakmont was last week, and it's nice to get out on a golf course where you feel like you can make quite a few birdies.' Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of the U.S. Open golf LeClaire-Imagn Images McIlroy has never won the Travelers, but he's put himself in contention on multiple occasions—something he'll hope to rediscover after several weeks of being largely out of the mix by the weekend. Advertisement He began his 2025 campaign on a tear, carrying that momentum into Augusta National for the Masters, where he was playing with confidence and firing on all cylinders in every facet of his game. He picked up wins at both the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship before capturing his first green jacket. Related: Rory McIlroy Admits He Ghosted Tiger Woods' Text After U.S. Open Heartbreak This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
