Rory McIlroy has accomplished plenty since launching his professional golf career in 2007, including four major championships and 122 weeks on top of the Official World Golf Rankings.
But before Thursday, one particular feat eluded him: a hole-in-one at an official PGA Tour event.
That changed for the Northern Irishman when he aced the par-three eighth hole during the first round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell as fellow Irishman Shane Lowry made a blistering start to the tournament.
McIlroy stepped up to the tee box of the 214-yard hole at TPC River Highlands with his five-iron. His ball hit the meat of the green with one small hop and tracked straight toward the pin.
The 34-year-old threw both his hands in the air before high-fives with his caddie and playing partners Tom Kim of South Korea and Viktor Hovland of Norway.
According to the PGA Tour, McIlroy had played 3,253 par-three holes over his tour career before this Thursday ace. It was his second ace in competition, having made one in Abu Dhabi on the DP World Tour in 2015.
"As hole-in-ones go, I've had them in the past where it has been an okay shot and you get a little lucky (but) that was the best shot of the day that I hit, and it's obviously a bonus for it to go into the hole," McIlroy said.
"It was really cool. I played pretty averagely up until that point but I birdied the next couple of holes after that and it sort of got me into the tournament a bit.
McIlroy was playing his first round since his latest bid to end a nine-year major drought fell short at last week's US Open, where he finished one shot back of Wyndham Clark.
The shot helped McIlroy dig out from a one-over start through seven holes and put him at one under. Four birdies and three bogeys would follow from there to leave him with a two-under-par 68, eight shots behind leader Denny McCarthy.
McIlroy did not keep the ball as a memento. "I threw it away to someone," he said. "I'm not sentimental, I don't care. I'd rather have trophies than golf balls."
ACE FOR RORY!@McIlroyRory holes it from 214 yards @TravelersChamp 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bKUfts2RvU
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 22, 2023
His achievement was nearly overshadowed by first-round leader Denny McCarthy, who came so close to joining the 59 club as his approach to the 18th bounced off the bank and shaved the edge of the hole.
He made the putt coming back though to sign off for a 10-under-par 60.
The PGA Tour still hasn't seen a round of 59 since Scottie Scheffler's second round at the 2020 Northern Trust. Scheffler is in fourth on seven under.
That leaves the American two clear of fellow American Keegan Bradley and Australia's Adam Scott.
Lowry is a further two shots back after a fine opening 64.
The Offaly man was in scintillating form on the front nine as he posted five birdies, and while he could only add one more coming in, his card was blemish free.
Seamus Power opened with a one-under 69, bogeys at four and the 18th being cancelled out by birdies at the fifth, seventh and 12th.
Additional reporting: Reuters
