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Ryder Cup 2021 Leaderboard: Results and Best Highlights from Friday

Sep 24, 2021
Team USA's Dustin Johnson hits on the 11th hole during a four-ball match the Ryder Cup at the Whistling Straits Golf Course Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Team USA's Dustin Johnson hits on the 11th hole during a four-ball match the Ryder Cup at the Whistling Straits Golf Course Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The United States got off to a strong start at the 2021 Ryder Cup on Friday.

The Americans bolted out to a 3-1 lead after the morning foursomes (alternate shot), in which Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele were part of two dominant performances.

Johnson and Schauffele combined for a victory in the afternoon four-ball round. The pair of 2-0 golfers earned one of two American victories in the second session.

Tony Finau and Harris English turned in the best showing of the afternoon session to secure at least a three-point lead for the home side at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. The United States ensured it got at least a half-point out of all four afternoon matches, with the other two ending in ties.

Steve Stricker's American team has a four-point lead going into Saturday's play. The lead is one point larger than the one the United States had after one day in its most recent Ryder Cup victory in 2016.

              

Ryder Cup Friday Results

United States 6, Europe 2 

Morning Foursomes

Jon Rahm & Sergio Garcia (EUR) def. Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth (USA), 3 and 1.

Dustin Johnson & Collin Morikawa (USA) def. Paul Casey & Viktor Hovland (EUR), 3 and 2.

Brooks Koepka & Daniel Berger (USA) def. Lee Westwood & Matt Fitzpatrick (EUR), 2 and 1.

Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele (USA) def. Rory McIlroy & Ian Poulter (EUR), 5 and 3.

           

Afternoon Four-Ball

Dustin Johnson & Xander Schauffele (USA) def. Paul Casey & Bernd Wiesberger (EUR), 2 and 1.

Tony Finau & Harris English (USA) def. Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry (EUR), 4 and 3.

Scottie Scheffler & Bryson DeChambeau (USA) tied Jon Rahm & Tyrrell Hatton (EUR).

Justin Thomas & Patrick Cantlay (USA) tied Tommy Fleetwood & Viktor Hovland (EUR).

             

Highlights

The Americans opened the event with a handful of fantastic performances in the morning session.

The Cantlay-Schauffele pairing stormed out to a five-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter, two of the most experienced players on either roster.

Cantlay and Schauffele maintained a laser focus and never gave McIlroy and Poulter a chance to get back into the match. The European duo only won two of the 15 holes played in the morning anchor matchup.

The most impressive shot from the morning round came from a player who did not win his match. Jordan Spieth was pinned against the cliff on the edge of the 17th green. He looped a shot high in the air and put the ball mere feet of the hole.

In the process, Spieth lost his balance and ran backward toward Lake Michigan, which resides on the left of the 17th hole at Whistling Straits.

Spieth and Justin Thomas lost that match to the Spanish duo of Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia. Rahm was responsible for 1.5 points Friday.

Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton battled to a tie with Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler to pick up one of two half-points from the afternoon session. The English-Spanish pairing won the 18th hole with a birdie to keep DeChambeau and Scheffler from winning the match.

DeChambeau and Scheffler held a one-shot lead after the 15th hole, but they were unable to close out Rahm and Hatton on one of the next three holes.

The other half-point earned by both sides may have been the most important result of Day 1.

Cantlay and Thomas put together a three-shot comeback on the final 10 holes to earn a half-point that could be crucial for the United States in the coming days.

Thomas ignited the come-from-behind effort on the ninth hole. As his putt dropped in, Thomas let out a loud roar to fire up the crowd.

Thomas and Cantlay went on to win the 12th and 15th holes to take away what appeared to be a full point for Fleetwood and Hovland.

The United States cruised to wins in the other two afternoon matches.

Johnson and Schauffele combined to win their second matches of the day against Bernd Wiesberger and Paul Casey.

The Johnson-Schauffele pairing won three consecutive holes on the front nine and captured wins on the 10th and 11th holes to turn away any comeback effort from the Europeans.

Finau and English's was not in doubt once they made the turn. They won four of the five holes between Nos. 6 and 10 to hand McIlroy his second defeat of the day.

McIlroy's losses marked the first time in his Ryder Cup career that he fell in multiple matches on the same day.

The United States and Europe will do battle in the same format Saturday. The foursomes matches will be played first and followed by the four-ball games.

Ryder Cup 2021 Opening Ceremony: Top Highlights and Reaction

Sep 24, 2021
KOHLER, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 23: Captain Steve Stricker of team United States speaks during the opening ceremony for the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 23, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
KOHLER, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 23: Captain Steve Stricker of team United States speaks during the opening ceremony for the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 23, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The 2021 Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony took place Thursday, one day before the tournament is slated to begin from Whistling Straits golf course in Haven, Wisconsin.

Team USA and Team Europe took center stage, with Team USA captain Steve Stricker and Team Europe captain Padraig Harrington both speaking with the media:

Comedian Rob Riggle helped narrarate the proceedings:

Stricker, a Wisconsin native, noted how special it was to return to his home state while shouting out the Ryder Cup fans:

He and Harrington announced the Friday foursome pairings, too:

As for the tournament itself, it'll make its first appearance at Whistling Straits, which is used to hosting big events: The PGA Championship was held there in 2004, 2010 and 2015, and the 2007 U.S. Senior Open.

The three-day event will begin with Friday morning foursomes.

There's a loaded matchup to start featuring childhood friends Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth (Team USA) versus a pair of Spaniards in Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia (Team Europe). The four of them have combined to win six majors. They'll tee off 8:05 a.m. ET.

A pair of two-time major champions in Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa, who are second and third in the Official World Golf Rankings, respectively, will follow suit for Team USA when they face off against Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland. Casey finished 26th or better in all four majors this year. Hovland has three professional wins under his belt, most recently at the BMW International Open.

A pair of Florida residents and ex-Florida State teammates Daniel Berger and Brooks Koepka are up next for Team USA. They'll take on Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, who combined to make seven of eight major cuts.

The last foursome features reigning FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, who has nine top-10 finishes at majors since 2017.

That Team USA group will go against Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. McIlroy is a four-time major winner. Poulter has won 15 career events (three PGA Tour, 12 European Tour).

Europe has won nine of the last 12 Ryder Cups, including the last iteration in 2018.

Ryder Cup 2021: Friday Tee Times, TV Schedule, Pairings and Predictions

Sep 23, 2021
Team USA and Team Europe attend the opening ceremony for the Ryder Cup at the Whistling Straits Golf Course Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Team USA and Team Europe attend the opening ceremony for the Ryder Cup at the Whistling Straits Golf Course Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

The United States has home-course advantage and a star-studded lineup as it looks to win the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin after losing in blowout fashion in France in 2018 and dropping four of the last five competitions.

Now it has the starting lineups as well.

The Americans and Europeans released the Friday morning pairings and tee times for the opening day of competition, which can be found below (via Sports Illustrated).

Friday Tee Times and Pairings (all times ET)

  • 8:05 a.m.: Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia (Europe) vs. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas (USA)
  • 8:21 a.m.: Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland (Europe) vs. Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa (USA)
  • 8:37 a.m.: Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick (Europe) vs. Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger (USA)
  • 8:53 a.m.: Rory  McIlroy and Ian Poulter (Europe) vs. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele (USA)

The Friday afternoon pairings will be announced Friday after the captains turn them in and prior to the first tee time of 1:10 p.m. ET.

TV Schedule (all times ET)

  • Friday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Golf Channel
  • Saturday: 8-9 a.m. Golf Channel, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. NBC
  • Sunday: 12-6 p.m. NBC

Friday Morning Predictions

Rahm and Garcia defeat Spieth and Thomas

While Spieth and Thomas will have plenty of chemistry, few people have played better golf this year than Rahm. The leader of the European team tied for fifth at the Masters, tied for eighth at the PGA Championship, won the U.S. Open, tied for third at the Open Championship and finished in second at the Tour Championship.

Europe may be looking to make a statement right out of the gates by starting with him, and pairing him with a Ryder Cup veteran like Garcia will only help his chances.

Spieth and Thomas figure to be key pieces for the Americans throughout the competition, but going up against Rahm will be too much.

Johnson and Morikawa defeat Casey and Hovland

The Americans will get on the board with Open Championship victor Morikawa leading the way in his first career Ryder Cup. While there will surely be some nerves, he handled them on some of golf's biggest stages this year.

He will also have a veteran in Johnson to help him pick up an early point for their team.

Koepka and Berger defeat Westwood and Fitzpatrick

Koepka's health has been a major storyline coming into this tournament after he withdrew from the third round of the Tour Championship on Sept. 4 with a left wrist injury.

However, United States captain Steve Stricker told reporters, "Again, I am not worried about Brooks. He assures me he's healthy. He assures me that he is 100 percent all-in on this team and whatever he needs to do for this team to become the winner at the end of the week."

A healthy Koepka will help the team by winning one of the first matches and putting the Red, White and Blue ahead 2-1.

McIlroy and Poulter defeat Cantlay and Schauffele

That lead won't last long, as McIlroy remains one of the best players on Tour and Poulter has dominated Ryder Cup play throughout his career.

Look for the competition to be tied heading into the afternoon session.

Ryder Cup 2021 Leaderboard: Predicting Scores for Dustin Johnson and Top Stars

Sep 23, 2021
KOHLER, WI - SEPTEMBER 22: Dustin Johnson of team United States hits his shot from the 17th tee during a practice round for the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 22, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America via Getty Images)
KOHLER, WI - SEPTEMBER 22: Dustin Johnson of team United States hits his shot from the 17th tee during a practice round for the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 22, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America via Getty Images)

The 2021 Ryder Cup is starting with some heavyweight battles between some of the best golfers in the world. 

The opening match of the event on Friday morning pits Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia up against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. 

Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger and Brooks Koepka and Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele form the other three American pairings for foursome play on Friday morning. 

Europe will counter with Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland, Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. 

The rest of the weekend pairings will be determined by the day. Friday afternoon's fourball teams will be announced toward the end of the foursome, or alternate shot, matches in the morning. 

      

Predictions

Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa Pairing Finds Success

Dustin Johnson helped the United States get off to a fast start three years ago, as he and Rickie Fowler picked up a win over Justin Rose and Jon Rahm.

Friday's opener differs a bit from that situation because the Americans chose to start off in the foursome format in which the golfers alternate shots. The fourball format takes the lowest score from the two golfers on one team at each hole. 

Johnson's partnership with Collin Morikawa has the potential to be the most successful American team this year. 

Morikawa finished on top of the Ryder Cup standings and inside the top 20 at each of the season's four majors. He had a top-10 finish in every major except for the Masters. 

Johnson and Morikawa are also two of the most level-headed players on the PGA Tour, so they will not show much emotion no matter which direction the match goes in.

That is a plus for United States captain Steve Stricker as he tries to earn an early point from one of the first two matches. 

Casey and Hovland could be viewed as the weakest of the four European pairings. Hovland is a Ryder Cup rookie and Casey holds a 4-3-5 career record at the Ryder Cup.

Casey has not won his opening match in each of his last three Ryder Cup appearances. He and Tyrrell Hatton fell to the American superstar team of Spieth and Thomas three years ago. 

If Johnson and Morikawa turn in a strong 18 holes, they should pick up a point and contribute to a potential American advantage out of the first session. 

Prediction: Johnson & Morikawa def. Casey & Hovland, 3-and-2. 

      

Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter Produce Biggest Win Of Morning Session

Europe captain Padraig Harrington turned to one of his superstar pairings to close out the first session.

Ian Poulter has tortured American Ryder Cup squads throughout the years. He owns a 14-6-2 record in six previous appearances. 

Rory McIlroy has an equally impressive 11-9-4 mark through five Ryder Cup appearances. 

McIlroy and Poulter are going up against a pair of in-form Ryder Cup rookies in Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. 

Cantlay and Schauffele turned in fantastic seasons, but it may be tough for them to find their footing at this stage against one of Europe's powerhouse duos. 

McIlroy and Poulter went 1-1 in their foursomes matches as a duo in 2018. The pairing also halved a fourball contest in 2014. Poulter did not play in the 2016 event. 

Harrington made the smart decision by putting two of his most experienced players at the back end of Friday morning's lineup to ensure that a point will be there for the taking.

Cantlay and Schauffele are capable of producing a surprise, but they will be viewed as heavy underdogs against two of the four European players who have played in five or more Ryder Cups.

Prediction: McIlroy & Poulter def. Cantlay & Schauffele, 5-and-4. 

Ryder Cup 2021: Odds, Betting Advice on Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, More

Sep 21, 2021
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 05: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays a shot on the fourth hole during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 05, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 05: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays a shot on the fourth hole during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 05, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy are two of the most experienced golfers on their respective Ryder Cup teams. 

However, their results in the team event have been average at best. 

Johnson is 7-9 in Ryder Cup matches. He enters Whistling Straits as the most experienced American with four Ryder Cup appearances. Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka are the only other golfers with multiple Ryder Cup stars in their careers. 

McIlroy's five Ryder Cup appearances make him very experienced on the European squad, but that number pales in comparison to Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, who have 19 Ryder Cup starts between them. 

McIlroy has a better Ryder Cup mark than Johnson, but he is barely over .500 at 11-9-4 since he first appeared in the competition in 2010. 

Both players are the second favorites on the odds charts to earn the most points for their respective teams, but there could be better bets out there. 

The full odds breakdown for the Ryder Cup can be found here on DraftKings Sportsbook.

        

Betting Advice

Stay Away From Dustin Johnson To Start

Johnson posted one of the worst individual records at the last Ryder Cup in 2018.

The former No. 1 overall player in the world went 1-4 with his only win coming in the opening session of the weekend. 

Johnson won in the Friday morning four-ball round alongside Rickie Fowler, but then he lost in the Friday afternoon foursomes with the same partner. 

The two-time major winner then went on to lose twice on Saturday, once with Fowler and once with Koepka. 

Johnson stumbled on Sunday by losing two down to Ian Poulter, who has been Europe's Ryder Cup ace over the last decade. Poulter is 14-6-2 in Ryder Cup matches. 

The 37-year-old Johnson is not in his best form at the moment. He missed the cut at two of his last five PGA Tour events and produced a few rounds in the 70s. 

The United States needs Johnson to look better on the course at Whistling Straits on Friday and Saturday to provide some veteran experience while the six Ryder Cup rookies get acclimated to the competition.

At the moment, Johnson is listed as second to Justin Thomas to be the top American points-earner. Thomas went 4-1 in 2018, while Spieth and Koepka have better overall winning percentages at the event in multiple Ryder Cups. 

Johnson has the potential to be a top American performer, but his track record at the event suggests that you should not fire on any props involving him yet. 

         

Target Rory McIlroy In Team Rounds

In 2018, McIlroy teamed up with Poulter and Garcia to win a match each on Friday and Saturday. 

Team Europe captain Padraig Harrington could rely on a similar strategy to pick up some early points in the four-ball and foursome events on Friday. 

The European squad only has three Ryder Cup rookies, so Harrington does not have to worry about a lack of experience off the bat. 

It would be wise of Harrington to put his most experienced players together right away to take advantage of any nerves the six American Ryder Cup rookies may have on Friday. 

McIlroy and Poulter could form a lethal duo for Team Europe given their experience and Ryder Cup winning percentages. 

Even if McIlroy is partnered with someone else, he should be someone to bet on during the Friday and Saturday team rounds. 

In 2016, McIlroy formed a terrific partnership with Thomas Pieters that won three matches, two of which came against Johnson. 

McIlroy is worth a look as Europe's top points scorer at +450 and his play could help Europe cash in on the props to win the four-ball and foursome sessions on both days. Europe is at +200 to win either session on Friday. 

      

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Rory McIlroy Discusses Naomi Osaka's Decision to Take a Break from Tennis

Sep 6, 2021
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks down the second hole during the second round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 03, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks down the second hole during the second round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 03, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy empathized with Naomi Osaka after the 23-year-old indicated she may take a break from tennis.

"I spoke about this in 2019 about separating who I am as a golfer and who I am as a person and trying to not let that define me, and it seems what Naomi is going through at the minute is that same thing," the 32-year-old told reporters Sunday after the Tour Championship.

The four-time major champion added that "everyone just needs to let her have time to figure that out."

In May, Osaka withdrew from the French Open after initially saying she was opting out of press availability for the betterment of her mental health. She missed Wimbledon as well to focus on the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Osaka saw her run in the U.S. Open end earlier than expected following a third-round loss to Leylah Fernandez. She explained after the match how a victory brought a sense of "relief" rather than excitement or happiness. She also come to feel "very sad" after a defeat.

As he indicated, McIlroy has experienced similar issues after tasting major success early in his career. Ahead of the 2019 Masters, the Northern Irishman said he was discovering how better to balance golf with his mental health.

"It's focusing on the small things and not living or dying by the results," he said. "... A change of attitude has been one of the biggest keys to how I've played for the first few months of the year."

Rory McIlroy Defends Bryson DeChambeau amid Criticism: It's Tough to Be Him Right Now

Sep 1, 2021
Bryson DeChambeau reacts after missing a putt on the 18th green, the sixth playoff hole during the final round of the BMW Championship golf tournament, to give Patrick Cantlay the victory, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Bryson DeChambeau reacts after missing a putt on the 18th green, the sixth playoff hole during the final round of the BMW Championship golf tournament, to give Patrick Cantlay the victory, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Bryson DeChambeau has at least one person on the PGA Tour who is willing to speak up for him amid a wave of criticism and negative fan feedback. 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Rory McIlroy said it's "pretty tough to be" DeChambeau right now. 

"I certainly feel some sympathy for him because I don't think that you should be ostracized or criticized for being different, and I think we have all known from the start that Bryson is different and he is not going to conform to the way people want him to be," McIlroy added. 

In one moment that has earned him criticism, DeChambeau got into a heated discussion with a cameraman on the course during the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July 2020. 

Tim Tucker, DeChambeau's former caddie, split from the outspoken golfer right before the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic in July 

Appearing on the Subpar podcast with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz (h/t Golf Channel's Ryan Lavner), however, Tucker called DeChambeau "the hardest-working guy I’ve ever seen" and was generally complimentary toward him amid their breakup.

The rivalry between DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka has led to some unique fan behavior at tournaments of late. Koepka gave a now-infamous eyeroll and muttered under his breath about his rival while doing an interview on the Golf Channel during the PGA Championship.

Several fans were ejected from the Memorial Tournement in June for yelling "Brooksie" toward DeChambeau on the course as he was trying to play. 

Despite drawing the ire of fans and some of his fellow players, DeChambeau is unquestionably one of the best golfers in the world right now. The 27-year-old has eight wins on the PGA Tour, including the 2020 U.S. Open.    

BMW Championship 2021: Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Sam Burns Share Lead After Round 1

Aug 26, 2021
OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND - AUGUST 26: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the second tee during the first round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club on August 26, 2021 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND - AUGUST 26: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the second tee during the first round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club on August 26, 2021 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Things are tight at the BMW Championship. 

Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Sam Burns sit atop the leaderboard in a three-way tie after each shooting an eight-under 64 on Thursday in Owing Mills, Maryland. 

The field is tight behind them, with Sergio Garcia in fourth at seven under and Abraham Ancer and Patrick Cantlay tied in fifth at six under. After that group, 12 players sit just three strokes off the leaders. 

Burns and Rahm were the models of consistency on their way to the top of the leaderboard, each finishing with eight birdies and zero bogeys. Rahm averaged a driving distance of 318.7 yards, per PGATour.com, a driving accuracy of 64.2 percent, hit 83.3 percent of greens in regulation and gained 3.3 strokes putting. 

Burns posted a 307.3 yards/ 71.4 percent / 88.8 percent / 2.2 strokes gained split in those categories. 

McIlroy took a slightly more circuitous route, finishing with a bogey and a fantastic eagle on the 16th. His 92.8 percent driving accuracy and 3.1 strokes gained putting were incredibly impressive. 

However they got there, the top three played some excellent golf on Thursday. 

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Rahm, the top-ranked player in the world and the No. 2 player in the FedEx Cup standings, is yet again in the running. He's also the defending champion at this tournament. 

Oh, and he was dropping Ted Lasso references after his opening round:

What can't this guy do?

Garcia, meanwhile, made a late push to enter the top group, posting birdies on Nos. 16 and 17. While he couldn't push his way into the group of leaders, he's in prime position to make a run at the BMW. 

Other notable finishers included Phil Mickelson (-4), Bryson DeChambeau (-4), Brooks Koepka (-2) and Jordan Spieth (-1). The course played favorably on Thursday—only seven players finished above par. 

The action continues on Friday morning at 9:40 a.m. ET, with the group of Sebastian Munoz, Chris Kirk and Jhonattan Vegas opening play. 

Rory McIlroy Discusses Physical, Mental Fatigue at Northern Trust Open

Aug 25, 2021
OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND - AUGUST 25: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off during the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am ahead of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Course on August 25, 2021 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND - AUGUST 25: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off during the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am ahead of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Course on August 25, 2021 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy has played a lot of golf in the past year. Around 30 events since June 2020, in fact. And he has a young child, too.

So yeah, he's a bit worn out.

"This morning, I was tired," he told reporters Wednesday. "Look, we all had a long week last week as well, but just summoning up the effort to get out of bed and get to your 7:20 pro-am tee time, it took a little more effort today than it usually does. But yeah, just everything. It's a lot of golf. It's hard to feel fresh at this time in the season, it all just sort of catches up with you."

It all appeared to bubble over for McIlroy on Monday during the final round of the Northern Trust, which had been pushed back due to rain delays, when the veteran golfer hurled one of his clubs into the trees after being displeased with a shot at the No. 9. 

He finished 43rd at the event and finds himself No. 28 in the FedEx Cup rankings, leaving him dangerously close to the top-30 cut-off line for the Tour Championship. 

He also dropped out of the top-15 in the world rankings, a pretty huge surprise given the trajectory of his career to this point:

Keeping a busy professional schedule, while also attempting to spend as much time with his family as possible, has proven challenging for McIlroy. It didn't leave him much time between the Northern Trust and this week's BMW Championship:

It's changed a lot. I want to spend a lot more time at home. I wanted to get home even in between these two events, so I flew down from New York, Monday night, so I could get a night in my own bed Monday, spend a few hours with [my daughter] yesterday—a few hours with her and Erica—and then I flew up here yesterday afternoon. Yeah, any chance I get to go home, especially at this point in the season when we've been away so much, I'm going to take it.

McIlroy has one win this season (Wells Fargo Championship) and six top-10 finishes—including finishing seventh at this year's U.S. Open—but he's largely struggled in recent majors. He missed the cut at The Masters and finished 49th at the PGA Championship and 46th at the Open Championship. 

McIlroy has work to do to finish out the season on a strong note. Battling through the fatigue will clearly be a major factor in just how successful he manages to be. 

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