CROMWELL, Conn. — Crowds surrounded the ninth green at TPC River Highlands as the groups that had teed off in the morning of Thursday’s opening round at the Travelers Championship were nearing completion. The quiet was soon to be shattered by a thrilling roar from the nearby seventh green.
That’s where world No. 2 Rory McIlroy was, and he had just sunk a 47-foot putt for birdie in front of the hundreds who had followed him religiously from one shot to the next.
That shot gave McIlroy his seventh of eight birdies on the day, helping him to an 8-under-par 62 and the co-lead with little-known J.T. Poston, the 162nd player in the world.
