The FedEx Cup playoffs are right here, and Rory McIlroy confirmed off his impeccable driving abilities on Day 1.

McIlroy fired off a 3-under 67 to take a seat at T15 after spherical one of many FedEx St. Jude Championship Thursday afternoon.

He’s 4 photographs behind Jordan Spieth, who carded a bogey-free 63 to guide at 7-under. McIlroy placed on a clinic off the tee as his driver was his

“I don’t know if I can keep in mind a spherical the place I’ve pushed it that nicely, no less than in latest reminiscence,” McIlroy mentioned. “I drove it rather well at the moment and gave myself so many appears from the green.”

McIlory led the sphere in strokes gained off the tee and in driving distance. He hit 10 of 14 fairways on the day.

“If I can get my membership face and my physique rotation matched up, that’s after I drive it my finest, and at the moment it did that… It was only a actually good day. If I can form of really feel like my physique is popping and my membership face is staying secure via affect, that’s form of the key to driving it the best way I drove it at the moment.”

The Northern Irishman made 4 birdies, an eagle and three bogeys. He eagled the par-5 sixteenth and received to 4-under earlier than struggling down the stretch. McIlroy bogeyed two of his final three holes. He was T50 in strokes gained placing, so whereas he was nice off the tee, his flat stick nonetheless gave him matches.

“Form of strolling off the course disillusioned with 3-under,” McIlroy mentioned. “I felt on one other day after I had been on somewhat bit extra, particularly with the putter, it may have been a 63 or a 64.”

This week, he put a brand new putter within the bag, a Scotty Cameron Phantom. Whereas he used that new flat stick on Thursday, it could not keep within the bag for lengthy.

“My pace is sweet with it. It’s only a matter of getting the factor on line,” McIlroy mentioned. “I’ll give the storage putter yet another day and see how we go. Fax has already despatched me the putt that I hit on the final, and it was a very good putt from down the road. Ball rolled finish over finish.”

“It was a superb stroke. For me, it’s simply the reads greater than anything. If I can simply form of get my reads somewhat bit higher — I really feel like I’m stroking it nicely and I’m beginning the ball on line.”

McIlroy sits No. 3 on the FedEx Cup factors record proper now, safely securing his spot into the subsequent two occasions on the BMW Championship in Chicago and Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. You may observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and on Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for extra golf protection. You’ll want to try @_PlayingThrough too.