Rory McIlroy made an impressive start at the Travelers Championship on Thursday, carding a bogey-free six-under-par opening round at TPC River Highlands.
The Northern Irishman found his rhythm early, recording birdies on the 2nd, 6th, 8th, 13th, 15th and 17th holes to position himself well in the tournament.
"Yeah, it was good," McIlroy said after his round. "I said yesterday, this is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe."
The 36-year-old noted that the course conditions allowed players to create numerous birdie opportunities, which both he and playing partner Keegan Bradley capitalised on throughout their round.
Rory McIlory has been struggling since his Masters win
ReutersDespite his strong start, McIlroy insisted he's not thinking about victory this weekend, instead prioritising improvements to his game.
"There's no point in thinking about the result right now," he added.
"I'm just trying to play as good as I can and make good swings, and if I do that enough, more than likely I'll find myself in a position to have a chance to win."
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"I just want to see some good golf and see some better shots.
"I think if you concentrate on that and you're concentrating on your quality of golf and concentrating on just trying to play to the best of your ability, the result will take care of itself."
When asked about his perspective on sports journalism, McIlroy offered a blunt assessment. "I'm not a journalist. I don't know. Report the birdies and bogeys, I guess," he said.
He acknowledged journalism's role whilst noting that "nowadays there's so many different ways to consume sports and entertainment."
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Rory McIlroy finally won the Masters back in April
ReutersMcIlroy's positive demeanour marked a stark contrast to his conduct at last week's US Open at Oakmont, where he drew criticism for his behaviour.
The four-time major winner avoided media duties for the first two rounds, later claiming he had "earned the right" to skip press conferences whilst expressing eagerness to move past the championship.
Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley was amongst those who criticised McIlroy's unexpected conduct at Oakmont, where the Northern Irishman struggled to hide his frustration with both the course and reporters.
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Though McIlroy appeared cheerful in a Sunday interview, his US Open behaviour continued to generate discussion amongst fans and commentators alike.
Austin Eckroat and Scottie Scheffler currently lead the Travelers Championship at eight-under-par, two shots ahead of McIlroy's six-under total.
The joint-leaders set the early pace in Connecticut, capitalising on the favourable scoring conditions that McIlroy described as more forgiving than last week's US Open venue.
Rory McIlory will be hoping the strong form will continue
PAAt the opposite end of the leaderboard, reigning US Open champion JJ Spaun endured a difficult opening round, posting a three-over-par score that leaves him well off the pace.
McIlroy praised the playing conditions, noting that he and Bradley were able to "feed off one another" during their two-ball pairing, creating momentum throughout the round.
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