Rory McIlroy Struggles in Round One as Sepp Straka Leads at The Players Championship

Posted : 13 March 2026

Rory McIlroy made his return to competitive golf at the Players Championship after a back injury forced him to skip last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. The world number two only arrived at TPC Sawgrass the day before the tournament began, having prioritized treatment at home.

Despite his cautious start, McIlroy showed no immediate discomfort, blasting his opening drive 329 yards down the middle of the fairway. However, he finished the round with a two-over par 73, seven shots behind the early leaders, narrowly missing birdie opportunities on the 16th and 17th holes.

Speaking after his round, McIlroy admitted that chipping and shots with the ball below his feet caused the most discomfort, but he largely felt fine. He also noted the challenge of rustiness after his brief time away from competition. While McIlroy struggled to find his rhythm, other players thrived in more favourable conditions.

Ryder Cup teammate Sepp Straka, alongside Americans Maverick McNealy, Lee Hodges, and Sahith Theegala, shared the clubhouse lead at five under, with Straka producing a bogey-free 67 highlighted by an eagle on the par-five 16th. He credited his strong performance to playing in the afternoon when winds were calm and the course’s greens were softer following heavy rain earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, England’s Tommy Fleetwood experienced a more difficult start. Playing in wetter and windier conditions, he briefly reached five under after a spectacular eagle-birdie-birdie finish on Sawgrass’ final three holes but was later hampered by a torrential downpour.

Consecutive bogeys pushed him back, leaving him at three under, alongside Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, Norway’s Viktor Hovland, and American Xander Schauffele.

The rain also affected several players’ ability to complete their rounds before darkness fell, including unheralded American Austin Smotherman, who will resume play early Friday to finish his 18th hole, poised for a chance to take the first-round lead.

The opening round highlighted the unpredictability of TPC Sawgrass, with weather and course challenges impacting even the top-ranked players. While McIlroy’s comeback showed promise, he faces a significant gap to close if he is to contend for the title in the coming rounds.

Rory McIlroy Struggles in Round One as Sepp Straka Leads at The Players Championship

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