Following a deluge of over two inches of rain at Quail Hollow Club from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, competitors commenced play on the course around midday ET for the 2026 Truist Championship, with Matt McCarty establishing the initial leading position. The second-year PGA Tour professional distinguished himself significantly in the opening round, propelled by exceptional putting, recording an 8-under 63, which placed him one stroke ahead of Sungjae Im.
Play for the first round was halted at 7:10 p.m. owing to severe weather conditions in the vicinity, leaving a small number of groups yet to complete their rounds.
“Been playing some good golf for the last few weeks,” McCarty said. “… I wasn’t hitting it that great early, but you make a bunch of 50-plus footers and it kind of gets your day going. Hit it a lot better on the back nine and nice to get a few coming home for sure.”
McCarty sank numerous putts throughout Round 1, accumulating an impressive 220 feet of successful attempts. These successful putts translated into birdies on the 13th (52 feet), 16th (59 feet), and 17th (52 feet) holes. With just these three conversions, the left-handed golfer became the first participant in the ShotLink era to sink three putts exceeding 50 feet in a single round. An additional six birdies were added to his score, countered by only one bogey.
“I spent a lot of time the last couple [of] days lag putting on these greens because you know you’re going to have a lot of club in and not be as close as normal,” McCarty said. “I guess that kind of paid off. Honestly, I felt like they were a little too quick for me, so I think this rain slowed ’em down to a perfect amount.”
In stark contrast to McCarty’s flawless putting, four-time tournament victor Rory McIlroy struggled to make putts for much of his initial round. Despite this, the reigning Masters champion maintained composure, ultimately completing a relatively straightforward opening 70, placing him seven shots behind the early leader.
“I wasn’t frustrated; I was hitting good putts,” McIlroy said. “Some days they just don’t want to go in. … I over-read a couple on the front side. Then, I underread a couple as a reaction to the overreads. I was just sort of trying to — it was more of a read thing than — I was starting the ball on my line and hitting good putts. I just needed to figure out the reads a little bit better. But sort of felt like I got into it by the end of the round.”
While McIlroy, representing Northern Ireland, was not among them, numerous European flags dominated the top portion of the scoreboard. Defending champion Sepp Straka is positioned at 5 under par, alongside his Ryder Cup teammate, Nicolai Højgaard, as well as PGA Tour newcomer Kristoffer Reitan and Harry Hall.
Tommy Fleetwood finished one shot behind with a 67, a score later matched in the evening by the PGA Tour’s newest member, Alex Fitzpatrick, who continues to build on the success from his Zurich Classic triumph.
Leader
1. Matt McCarty (-8): While making 220 feet of putts is certainly the highlight, McCarty demonstrated more than just his putting skill in the first round. Although three of his birdies originated from beyond 50 feet, five of his other six came from within 5 feet, indicating his strong ball-striking performance. A notable instance was McCarty’s second shot on his final hole, the par-4 9th. From the center of the fairway, he executed an excellent shot with a fairway wood, only to realize the group ahead was still near the green. Fortunately for McCarty (and those in front), his ball landed within 3 feet of the flagstick.
“I feel really bad about that,” McCarty said. “Like, just didn’t see those guys. … You never want to hit into anybody, but I’m glad I didn’t push it and actually hit somebody and that I hit it to a couple feet. It was a good finish, but yeah, maybe just moving a little fast with the storm coming in and didn’t take that extra second to look. But I guess it is what it is. I hope they aren’t too upset with me.”
Contenders
2. Sungjae Im (-7)
T3. Kristoffer Reitan, Nick Taylor, Harry Hall, Nicolai Højgaard, Sepp Straka (-5)
T8. Corey Conners, Tommy Fleetwood, Alex Fitzpatrick, David Lipsky, Tony Finau (-4)
During the initial three months of his inaugural season, Reitan had achieved only one top-20 result (PGA National). With increased experience and having found his rhythm, the Norwegian seems to have made significant progress, securing three top-15 finishes in his most recent four tournaments, with his Masters debut, where he made the cut, being the exception. Having secured his PGA Tour membership by placing in the top 10 of the Race to Dubai last season, Reitan aims to defy the pattern of European players struggling in the United States. If his first round 66 is any indication of future performance, he is set to advance his standing in the season-long competition (currently No. 54) and potentially on this leaderboard.
“A little bit more comfortable, yeah,” Reitan said. “Posting some good scores, yeah, some decent results as well is helpful, just to feel like you belong out here among the best players in the world. I saw Ryan Fox did an interview where he was talking about getting comfortable, and then it took him quite a while. That’s what I’m trying to do is just get to a place where I can feel a little bit more comfortable, so that I can try to showcase my skills. The last few weeks have definitely helped.”
McIlroy’s nearly unprecedented par streak
In his first competition since his exhilarating Masters triumph, McIlroy commenced his day by recording not one, not two, but 17 consecutive pars! On the verge of completing his first PGA Tour round with a perfect 18 pars, the six-time major winner ultimately left this particular achievement unfulfilled as he skillfully curved a 9-iron shot on the par-4 9th hole to within 15 feet, then sank his only birdie of the afternoon to complete his round with a 1-under 70.
“I didn’t [want to make all pars],” McIlroy said. “I was thinking more like I knew that I made so many pars, but I was thinking I can’t remember the last time I played a round of golf and didn’t have a birdie. I was, like, ‘Just try to make one.’ I knew, I felt like I didn’t make birdie at 7, didn’t make birdie at 8, so then I thought my chance had passed me by, but nice to see one putt go in there at the last.”
2026 Truist Championship updated betting lines, selections
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
- Cameron Young: 6-1
- Matt McCarty: 6-1
- Tommy Fleetwood: 9-1
- Rory McIlroy: 10-1
- Nicolai Højgaard: 11-1
- Sepp Straka: 13-1
- Xander Schauffele: 13-1
- Ludvig Åberg: 16-1
- Kristoffer Reitan: 19-1
- Sungjae Im: 19-1
The tournament remains highly competitive after 18 holes, presenting an opportunity for some imaginative wagering. If one were to support both McIlroy and Ludvig Åberg (-2), they would likely have at least one strong contender vying for the title by Sunday. McIlroy struggled with his drives on the par 5s and had difficulty converting putts, while Åberg ranked third in strokes gained from tee to green but was near the bottom of the field in putting. Both players appear well-positioned to deliver a low score and re-enter contention for this event.
