Rory McIlroy experienced a challenging start at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with a sequence of bogeys and a two-stroke penalty undermining his initial strong performance, culminating in a first-round score of 71, one under par.
The day began promisingly for McIlroy at Spyglass Hill, where he secured a pair of birdies leading to a flawless back nine. His momentum continued with additional birdies on holes one, three, four, and five, propelling him briefly to the forefront of the leaderboard. However, the tide turned with a bogey on the sixth hole, followed by another on the seventh, causing him to slip to second place. A third consecutive bogey on the eighth further impacted his standing, placing him 12th while the first round was still in progress.
Subsequently, McIlroy faced a two-stroke penalty for an improper drop on the seventh hole, which pushed him down to 40th place with a score of one under.
Reflecting on his performance, McIlroy acknowledged the strong start but lamented the unfavorable finish. Despite the setbacks, he remained positive about his gameplay, highlighting his proficiency in ball-striking and short game.
Thomas Detry of Belgium emerged as the leader after the first round, delivering a stellar nine-under 63 at Spyglass Hill, thanks to a birdie on the 18th hole. This impressive finish allowed him to edge past Patrick Cantlay, who had previously led with an eight-under 64.
The tournament format sees the 80 participants playing rounds at both Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill, with the weekend rounds set exclusively at Pebble Beach. The event does not feature a 36-hole cut, allowing players to compete for a portion of the $20 million purse throughout.
Matthieu Pavon of France stood out at Pebble Beach with the day's best score of seven-under 65, securing third place. Tied for fourth were Emiliano Grillo and Si Woo Kim, with scores of six under, while Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa were knotted at five under, sharing the sixth position.
Next: Jon Rahm appreciates Rory McIlroy's backing