Mackenzie Hughes leads Travelers Championship with Rory McIlroy in chasing pack
Watch Featured Group coverage of the second round live on Sky Sports Golf from 11.45am on Friday
Friday 26 June 2020 11:10, UK
Mackenzie Hughes holds a three-shot advantage after the opening round of the Travelers Championship, with Rory McIlroy part of the chasing pack.
Hughes threatened a "59 round" on a day of low scoring at TPC River Highlands, with the Canadian carding 10 birdies in a bogey-free 60 to move to the top of the leaderboard.
The world No 158 holed a 30-footer at the 11th and made five straight birdies from the 14th to reach the turn in 29, before holing a six-footer at the second to move alongside McIlroy - who set the clubhouse target with a seven-under 63.
Hughes followed back-to-back gains from the sixth by nailing a 30-footer at the par-three eighth, leaving him needing a final-hole birdie to shoot a sub-60 round, only for him to leave his long-range effort short and having to settle for the closing par.
"I was really trying to make sure I just gave it [putt on his final hole] a chance and roll it past the hole and I don't know, just didn't hit it," Hughes said. "Still super-excited about shooting 60 and it's a round that I'll remember for a long time."
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McIlroy, playing alongside Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, eagled the 13th and posted back-to-back birdies from the 14th before making his only bogey of the day after finding thick rough off the tee at the par-three 16th.
The world No 1 made a tap-in birdie at the second and holed a 15-footer at the fourth, before getting up and down from a bunker to birdie the par-five sixth and convert from six feet on his final hole.
Xander Schauffele closed in on Hughes after mixing nine birdies with a sole bogey over his opening 15 holes, only to three-putt the 17th and miss a 10-footer at the last to match McIlroy's opening 63.
Viktor Hovland is also in a share of second after making three birdies and an eagle in a four-hole stretch on the back nine, while Mickelson and Sergio Garcia are in the group of six players four off the pace on six under.
DeChambeau opened with a blemish-free 65 and world No 2 Jon Rahm joined Champion Golfer Shane Lowry in posting a four-under 66, while Abraham Ancer made a hole-in-one at the par-three 16th on his way to a opening-round 67.
Watch the Travelers Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday with Featured Groups from 11.45am on Sky Sports Golf and midday on Sky Sports Main Event.
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