HOUSTON — As the Masters loom, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy opted for a final practice run at the Houston Open, although the weather offered them little reprieve. Thursday witnessed players braving the challenging wind and rain, conditions that kept scores tightly clustered as competitors sought to find their rhythm on a damp course.
Tied for the lead at the end of the day were Keith Mitchell, Ryan Gerard, Alejandro Tosti, and Taylor Pendrith, who all carded a round of 5-under 65 before play was halted due to fading light. Mitchell managed to claw back from early missteps, securing an eagle late in his round, while Gerard saw his strong start dwindle with consecutive bogeys toward the finish.
World number one Scottie Scheffler demonstrated his trademark steadiness, navigating the course without a bogey and notching long birdies on the back nine for a 67, positioning him just two strokes off the lead. “Conditions were pretty tough out there today with the rain and the wind, so overall nice to keep a clean card,” Scheffler reflected on his performance.
Rory McIlroy, fresh from his triumph at The Players Championship, faced the persistent rain in the morning session. Despite the inclement weather, McIlroy managed a round of 70, a mix of two birdies and two bogeys. “Couldn’t really find the middle of the club face for the first few holes,” McIlroy admitted, but as the rain relented, his striking improved notably.
Alejandro Tosti was a strong contender, recalling his late push in the previous year’s tournament with a flawless round that included birdies on all of the par 5s on the course. Meanwhile, Taylor Pendrith held the lead at one point before a bunker mishap on the 18th knocked him back, while Jackson Suber missed a golden opportunity to join the leaders after a costly four-putt double bogey on his closing hole.
Ryan Gerard had been enjoying a fine day, sitting at 7-under, until he encountered troubles starting with the par-5 eighth hole, where a penalty drop and a long approach led to a bogey. A back lip bunker on the final par-3 further derailed his round, but managed to settle for a share of the lead despite the setbacks. “I’d be lying to you if I wasn’t a little bit upset,” Gerard expressed, while still appreciating the position he was in despite the day’s turbulence.
The conditions necessitated preferred lies, with players vying to keep their equipment dry amid constant downpours. Gerard, in particular, described his unique strategy, noting, “I’m weird — I don’t like holding the umbrella because I feel like my arms get fatigued, so I wear the rain jacket and try and not get the grips wet.”
Jackson Suber tied at 66 alongside seven others, including Rasmus Hojgaard, who at one point shared the lead until succumbing to a double bogey. His brother, Nicolai Hojgaard, grouped together with him, finished at 69. With crucial spots in the Masters up for grabs, Michael Kim and Ben Griffin both started with rounds of 70, aiming to break into the world’s top 50 by the tournament’s end.