PGA featured holes: Quicken Loans National

SAN DIEGO - Rory McIlroy dialed back from his usual aggressive mindset to ensure an impressive start to his 2021 PGA TOUR campaign at the Farmers Insurance Open. McIlroy posted a clinical 4-under 68 on the South Course at Torrey Pines - hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation on the way - on a day where the 2021 U.S. Open venue averaged 73.167. It left the two-time FedExCup champion four shots behind leaders Patrick Reed and Alex Noren, however their 8-under 64s came on the North Course which averaged a much easier 69.449. McIlroy is one of just four players inside the top 31 on the leaderboard to have played the South Course on the opening day. It was the 14th time in his TOUR career that McIlroy hit all but one green in regulation but the first time at Torrey Pines South. Incredibly, from 2010-2020, only 0.6% of players hit 17 or more greens on the South Course (21 of 3,414) - proof why the venue hosted the 2008 U.S. Open and why it will again this June. "It’s sort of weird to say, but I almost have better performances with greens in reg when they’re smaller greens because you can just be very comfortable hitting to the middles of greens all the time and not feeling like you’re having to take on pins," McIlroy explained. "It stops me from being my aggressive self a little bit, which is sometimes a good thing." It was a particularly impressive show of patience considering McIlroy is coming off a third-place finish on the European Tour where he failed to close out a 54-hole lead. With birdies up for grabs in Abu Dhabi, McIlroy could only manage to shoot even par and fell five shots behind eventual winner Tyrrell Hatton. It is now over 15 months since his last victory but rather than respond with aggression, he showed poise. The Northern Irishman has never hit all 18 greens in one round on the PGA TOUR with a greenside chip shot coming up short on the par-5 13th his only blemish on Thursday stopping him from the feat. "That's a goal for tomorrow," he smiled after being told. "I got off to a great start, 4 under through nine. A little disappointed I didn’t pick up a couple more on the way in, especially with the two par 5s ... but anytime you shoot 68 on the South Course here you’ve got to be pretty happy. "I’m really happy with how I drove the ball today, hit some good iron shots, and I think going from Bermuda greens last week in Abu Dhabi straight to poa here, it’s a bit of an adjustment. So, to get on those bent greens on the North tomorrow, I may find that a little easier."

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Round 3 of the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession takes place Saturday from Bradenton, Florida. Brooks Koepka leads by one with Cameron Smith, Tony Finau, Patrick Reed and Abraham Ancer among those in pursuit. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action. Leaderboard Full tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 12 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel). Saturday, 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, 12 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel). Sunday, 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. (NBC) PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Groups). Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Featured Groups), 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes) Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio). TOURCast: Get shot-by-shot info in real time with shot tracks and video with TOURCast. TOUR Pulse: Get the PGA TOUR app to utilize TOUR Pulse, which provides users the ability to experience a mix of content, such as video highlights, written hole summaries and stat graphics on every player after every hole they complete. FEATURED GROUPS 8:45 a.m. ET: Harris English, Tommy Fleetwood 8:55 a.m. ET: Dustin Johnson, David Lipsky 12:25 p.m. ET: Jason Day, Sergio Garcia 12:55 p.m. ET: Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler MUST READS Koepka leads after 36 holes Ancer in contention with familiar caddie Tiger Woods recovering from single-car accident Sports world sends best wishes to Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan discusses Tiger Woods’ accident Five things about The Concession TOUR Insider: Predictions for the Florida Swing CALL OF THE DAY

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The ball-striking was better but the score was higher. There’s a one-word explanation for that phenomenon. “Golf. It’s a funny game,â€� Rory McIlroy said after his second-round 70 at the Wells Fargo Championship. McIlroy’s record is unmatched at Quail Hollow, and that continued Thursday with a 66 that gave him the first-round lead. Considering his success here – he’s the only two-time champion here, and has twice set the course record – the stage seemed set for a runaway win. McIlroy is third in the FedExCup thanks to one of the most consistent stretches of his career. He finished in the top 10 in seven consecutive events to start the year, including a win at THE PLAYERS Championship. On Friday, he fell down the leaderboard instead. He shot a higher score despite improved play off the tee. McIlroy gained nearly two more strokes with his tee shots than he did in the first round. He also hit one more green Friday. Related: Tee times | Dufner, Homa prove there’s light at the end of the tunnel | Day makes dream come true for young fan | Harsh lessons can pay big dividends on the PGA TOUR “I stood up here (Thursday) night talking about how I got the most out of it yesterday, and today was the complete opposite,â€� McIlroy said. “I turned a 66 into a 70.â€� McIlroy made some slight swing fixes in the three weeks between the Masters and Wells Fargo Championship. He said he was still getting accustomed to the changes, especially with the longest club in his bag. Another day helped those modifications become further ingrained. “I was a little more comfortable with it today,â€� he said after missing just four fairways Friday. Short putts, and a tough finish, kept him from holding onto the lead. He’ll start the weekend in the top 10, but also five strokes behind 36-hole leader Jason Dufner. McIlroy was 4 under for the day until playing his last two holes in 3 over. McIlroy double-bogeyed the short eighth hole after driving into a fairway bunker. He missed a 9-foot putt to bogey his last hole. It was one of three putts from inside 10 feet that he missed Friday, including a 4-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole. “I’m still right there going into the weekend,â€� McIlroy said. “I just need to try and shake off that bad finish and get off to a good start tomorrow.â€�

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