Rory McIlroy: First hole-in-one was cool – but I only care about trophies

Rory McIlroy revelled in a “really cool” moment as he burst back into life with his first PGA Tour ace at the Travelers Championship.

It would have been easy for McIlroy to lose focus this week and dwell in the heartache of his agonising near-miss at the US Open.

But the Northern Irishman provided the moment of inspiration he was so desperately missing at the Los Angeles Country Club, where Wyndham Clark denied him his fifth major crown by just one stroke.

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McIlroy reached the eighth tee at one-over for his round at TPC River Highlands, competing in another stacked field with the same prize purse as last week’s major championship.

And he gave the Connecticut crowd a moment they will never forget as he drained his glorious five-iron approach from 214 yards.

He punched the air and embraced his caddie Harry Diamond as well as playing partners Viktor Hovland and Tom Kim after seeing his ball trickle into the cup at dead weight.

McIlroy has made countless hole-in-ones in practice, but this was just his second in professional competition and first on the American circuit after his ace at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2015.

“I’ve had them in the past where it has been like an okay shot and you get a little lucky, but that was the best shot of the day that I hit,” he said.

ACE FOR RORY!@McIlroyRory holes it from 214 yards @TravelersChamp 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bKUfts2RvU

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 22, 2023

“Obviously a bonus for it to go in the hole, but it was really cool. I played pretty averagely up until that point. Felt like that hole in one got me going a little bit.”

McIlroy’s ace sparked a run of two more birdies, but the rest of his opening round was largely forgettable as he closed with a bogey-five to card a two-under 68.

The 34-year-old is eight shots off the lead held by Denny McCarthy, who himself came inches from PGA Tour history when he almost holed out from the fairway for an almost unthinkable 59 in round one.

But the highlight of the day came from McIlroy, who chucked his ball away after his ace to show he had no interest in keeping a memento for his mantelpiece. That is strictly reserved for silverware.

“I threw it away,” an uplifted McIlroy said. “I’m not sentimental. I don’t care. I’d rather have trophies than golf balls.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.