Thursday, June 23, 2022 – Round One Recap
The first round of the 2022 Travelers Championship on Thursday was met with gorgeous weather, energetic fans and amazing golf filled with lots of birdies at TPC River Highlands.
Rory McIlroy, the No. 2 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, shot an 8-under-par 62, which tied his lowest opening round score on the PGA TOUR. He birdied eight holes and didn’t card a bogey, starting with a birdie on his first hole (No. 10) and finishing his round with a monster 332-yard drive on the ninth hole as he cut the corner, nearly chipped in, then tapped in for his birdie.
J.T. Poston matched McIlroy’s 62 on the strength of six birdies over his first eight holes. Poston also played bogey-free; in fact, none of the top seven players on the leaderboard dropped a shot.
Xander Schauffele and Martin Laird were a shot back at 7-under. One stroke behind them, in a three-way tie for fifth place, was Patrick Cantlay, Charles Howell lll and Webb Simpson.
The top-ranked player in the world, Scottie Scheffler, finished at 2-under after posting a 68.
In addition to some terrific shots at TPC River Highlands, Women’s Day returned after a two-year hiatus. The event brought together hundreds of women to raise money for local charities. This year’s special guests featured “Inside Edition” host Deborah Norville, UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers and CBS Sports broadcaster Amanda Renner.
The second round of tournament play will commence Friday, and after play concludes, the 36-hole cut will be the low 65 players and ties.
There are still tickets available for the tournament at TravelersChampionship.com.
First-Round Leaderboard
Rory McIlroy 62 (-8)
J.T. Poston 62 (-8)
Xander Schauffele 63 (-7)
Martin Laird 63 (-7)
Things to Know
- Rory McIlroy holds 18-hole lead/co-lead for third time this season and 20th since joining the TOUR as a member in 2010
- J.T. Poston fires first sub-30 nine-hole score of his PGA TOUR career
- McIlroy (2022 RBC Canadian Open) and Poston (2019 Wyndham Championship) won the last time they shot 62 on TOUR
- Xander Schauffele hits 18 of 18 greens in regulation in a single round on TOUR for the first time in his career
- Defending champion Harris English sits T10 after an opening-round 66
- FedExCup leader and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (T30/-2) seeks his fifth victory this season
First-Round Lead Notes
6 First-round leaders/co-leaders at Travelers Championship to win since 2000: Jordan Spieth/2017, Bubba Watson/2015, Kenny Perry/2009, Hunter Mahan/2007, Peter Jacobsen/2003, Notah Begay III/2000
5 First-round leaders/co-leaders to win individual stroke-play events on TOUR this season (most recent: Jon Rahm/Mexico Open at Vidanta)
