Keith Mitchell starred in a spectacular day at the Truist Championship, setting a new course record at the Philadelphia Cricket Club with an impressive round of 61 strokes, nine under par.
Mitchell’s performance surpassed the previous record of 65 strokes, shared by Colin St Maxen, Zac Blair, and Angus Flanagan. The 7,100-yard design by A.W. Tillinghast, with its par 4 holes and accessible flag locations, was dominated by long and aggressive shots, as well as the effective use of short irons and wedges.
Mitchell played a flawless game without bogeys, and was close to a 59 on his second shot from 102 yards on the ninth hole, his eighteenth. His approach left the ball just over 9 feet, settling for a final par and a one-stroke lead over Denny McCarthy. Colin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Sepp Straka and Akshay Bhatia also stood out with rounds of 63 strokes.
Rory McIlroy, in his first individual participation since completing the career grand slam at the Masters, signed a card of 66 strokes. He was one of the 64 players who managed to beat par at Wissahickon, in the sixth event of the PGA Tour season.
Mitchell led the way despite a quiet start with five consecutive pars on the first nine holes. The action intensified for the 33-year-old with birdies on the challenging 17th and 18th holes. His streak continued with birdies on two of the first three holes of his second round, culminating in a run of four birdies for a 29 strokes, six under par, on the last nine holes.
I just charted my way around on Monday and Wednesday to determine what to hit and where to try to place the ball on the green. If you get above the hole, really close to the flag on the wrong side, you can have a really fast putt and have a lot of breaks.
Mitchell
McCarthy, 32, who has lost twice in the playoffs and has yet to win on tour, benefited from a fast start that included five consecutive birdies on holes 11-15. He opened his second round with two straight birdies and added two more for a satisfying opening round.
McIlroy, the defending champion and four-time winner of the event, maintained his aggressive strategy, seeking to dominate the course with the driver off the tee. He had some setbacks, including a three-putt on the 11th hole and a bogey on the 15th hole.
Alex Noren made his return to the tour, playing for the first time since August due to neck and leg injuries. The 42-year-old Swede started with a 67, expressing his joy at returning and his desire to refine his game.
