McIlroy battles to stay in hunt

Hopes of a first Irish victory in the so called ‘fifth Major’, the $9.5 million Players Championship at Sawgrass, faded last night as Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell, all of whom were favourably positioned after Thursday’s opening round, struggled to keep in touch with the leaders.

Harrington shot a disappointing four-over 76 to finish on the likely cut mark of level par. McIlroy dropped three shots in a row from the seventh to fall seven off the pace at four under, while the usually reliable McDowell gave away three strokes through the opening nine before a double-bogey at 12 appeared to have sealed his fate.

McIlroy, however, kept plugging away in commendable fashion and a brilliant wedge approach to the 10th spun back to within an inch of the cup.