Highlights
Watch Rory McIlroy make the first(?!) hole-in-one of his PGA Tour career
CROMWELL, Conn. — Rory McIlroy was understandably disappointed to not claim a fifth major championship on Sunday at the U.S. Open. In the meantime, he'll have to settle for accomplishing a career-first on Thursday at the Travelers Championship.
In a stat that will certainly stun golf fans everywhere—this golf writer included—the former World No. 1 had never made a hole-in-one on the PGA Tour. In 232 starts. Just an insane fact.
But that all changed with one 5-iron swing on the 214-yard, par-3 eighth hole at TPC River Highlands during the first round. Have a look:
What an absolute laser. Congrats, Rory. But again, it's wild that he'd never made one on the PGA Tour before. Heck, less than a week ago he just missed one at LACC!
Anyway, McIlroy does have one career ace as a pro, which came at the 2015 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the DP World Tour. And now, on his 3,253rd par 3 of his PGA Tour career, he's (finally) got another. What a crazy game.
UPDATE: Rory McIlroy finished off a wild day with a pair of late bogeys to open with 68. He also didn't keep the special golf ball, tossing it into the gallery behind the eighth green instead.
"I'm not sentimental," McIlroy said after. "I don't care. I'd rather have trophies than golf balls."
OK maybe so, but we're guessing he'll treat himself to a couple celebratory beverages on Thursday night.