Houston Open: Rory McIlroy makes 'pedestrian' start as Scottie Scheffler opens bogey-free in major warm-up
Scottie Scheffler opens Houston Open with bogey-free 67 as Rory McIlroy cards level-par 70; McIlroy and Scheffler playing last PGA Tour events before The Masters; four-way tie for lead includes Taylor Pendrith; watch second round from 12.15pm Friday, Sky Sports Golf
Friday 28 March 2025 06:16, UK
Rory McIlroy made a slow start to his final PGA Tour event ahead of The Masters by carding an opening-round 70 at the Texas Children's Houston Open.
The FedExCup leader, already a winner at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players this season, has opted for a first Houston appearance since 2014 to prepare for his bid to complete the career Grand Slam next month at Augusta National.
McIlroy - playing in the morning wave - mixed two birdies with as many bogeys on the par-70 layout at the Memorial Park Golf Course, with a frustrating day on the greens seeing him make just 49 feet of putts, leaving him five strokes off the early leaders Keith Mitchell, Taylor Pendrith, Alejandro Tosti and Ryan Gerard.
- Texas Children's Houston Open: Latest leaderboard 📋
- Why Houston offers 'perfect' test for Rory McIlroy 📋
- Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW 📺📱
- Choose the sports notifications you want! 🔔
The first round was suspended due to darkness at 7.28pm local time (12.28pm GMT), with Taylor Dickson - two off the lead with three holes to play - among those unable to finish.
McIlroy: Conditions not too pleasant to play in
The world No 2 - starting on the back nine - missed from eight feet to save par at the 14th and failed to take advantage of the par-five 16th, before undoing his first birdie of the day at the par-five third by dropping a shot at the next.
McIlroy remained over par until a tap-in birdie at the par-five eighth - his penultimate hole of the day - with the 35-year-old needing an improved performance on Friday to make sure he avoids a first missed cut since The Open.
"A little pedestrian, I guess is a good way to describe it," McIlroy said. "We had to deal with those conditions early on, rainy and not too pleasant to play in."Made a few par saves early on that I needed to and then had quite a few chances on the second nine there that I didn't convert.
"Yeah, sort of tale of two halves. I felt like I was scrambling for the most part on the first nine and then I feel like I left a couple out there on the last nine."
Scheffler after bogey-free round: I played better on back nine
European Ryder Cup hopefuls Victor Perez and Rasmus Hojgaard are both in the group on four under, a shot off the leaders, with world No 1 Scottie Scheffler a further shot back after a bogey-free start.
Scheffler - searching for a maiden win of the season ahead of his title defence at Augusta National next month - registered three birdies in his round.
"I felt like I started to play a little bit better on the back nine," Scheffler said. "The first nine I was kind of getting it around a little bit but still post a score today.
"Conditions were pretty tough out there today with the rain and the wind, so overall nice to keep a clean card."
England's Harry Hall posted a two-under 68 and Rickie Fowler - playing with Scheffler - sits a further stroke adrift, while defending champion Stephan Jaeger is alongside McIlroy on level par.
Watch the Texas Children's Houston Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Early coverage continues on Friday from 12.15pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 8pm.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
