Rory McIlroy struggles in Players Championship opening round

Rory McIlroy endured a difficult start at the Players Championship as he carded a four-over 76 in his opening round at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday.

The four-time major winner had arrived at the PGA Tour's flagship event seeking a return to the world number one spot, but little went right for him on day one after beginning with a double bogey.

Playing the back nine first, he regained a stroke with a birdie at the 11th but further bogeys on the 15th, first and third left him well behind the early leader Chad Ramey who will start Friday's second round from eight under, with Collin Morikawa just one shot further back.

McIlroy did produce some magic to set up an eagle chance with a fine shot from under the trees wide of the 16th fairway, but he then three-putted to squander the opportunity.

The front nine provided little consolation with a birdie on the fourth sandwiched by those bogeys on one and three as well as a final one on the ninth.

McIlroy was playing in a high-profile three-ball along with Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm, all of whom have held the top spot in the world rankings this year.

LEADERBOARD

There was not much early spark from the current holder of the title, Rahm, or Scheffler either but both finished with solid one and three under par rounds respectively.

The early drama was provided by American Hayden Buckley, who landed a hole in one on the course's famous 17th, the island hole.

This shot from Rory