PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Rory McIlroy woke up on Thursday morning with a critical decision to make regarding his strategy for The Players Championship. After experiencing challenges with his driver at Bay Hill and during practice rounds at TPC Sawgrass, he realized that his tee shots were consistently tailing left. While this issue could be manageable on other courses, TPC Sawgrass presented a unique challenge, as many holes are bordered by water, sand, and trees that can lead to trouble.
Understanding the risks involved, McIlroy decided to implement a different approach before teeing off on Thursday. Rather than completely abandoning his powerful driver—a significant asset in his game—he opted to dial it back. His plan was to execute a peeler fade, a shot that, when performed correctly, serves as an effective fairway finder. This strategy mirrors what he successfully employed late in 2019, when he struggled with driving accuracy but still managed to claim the championship title, finishing T-49 in fairways hit.
“That shot is never going to get you in trouble here,” McIlroy explained. “It doesn’t get you in trouble most places, but especially here.”
While Thursday’s opening round may not have showcased a flawless performance off the tee for McIlroy, he navigated the course effectively, finishing with a commendable score of 5-under 67. This score left him just one shot off the early lead. Notably, he found only four of the 14 fairways, ranking 140th out of 144 players in driving accuracy. However, this did not significantly hinder his performance, as he managed to card seven birdies throughout the day, including an impressive four consecutive birdies around the turn.
One of the highlights of McIlroy's round came on the 18th hole. Faced with a challenging situation while trying to hold up a 3-wood against the wind on the watery closing hole, McIlroy’s tee shot veered into the right trees. Fortunately, he found a favorable lie, allowing him to execute a low cut shot that maneuvered under the branches, advancing up the fairway and onto the front edge of the green, settling just 7 feet from the cup. “Sort of rode my luck out there a little bit,” he remarked, acknowledging the fortunate turn of events.
With the greens still receptive due to heavy rain earlier in the week, McIlroy took advantage of the conditions. However, he is aware that as the tournament progresses, with abundant sunshine and stronger winds expected, he must enhance his driving accuracy over the next three days. “I’m going to hit some balls here and figure it out,” he stated, “and try to hit a few more fairways tomorrow.”
As McIlroy continues to refine his strategy at TPC Sawgrass, fans and fellow competitors alike will be watching closely to see how he adapts and performs in the upcoming rounds of The Players Championship.
