YOUNG BLOOD: Rory McIlroy is no longer the youngster to look out for, with players like Jordan Speith and Patrick Reed emerging as serious contenders. PHOTO: AFP
Alongside McIlroy are two players, Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth; both of them younger than the 24-year-old Irishman.
"I was impressed, they handled it really well," he said. "They both had it under par, Jordan finished under par, Patrick didn't have a good finish, but I felt like they played well.
"Jordan is young compared to Patrick and myself. Patrick's a year younger than me, but there are a lot of good young players coming through.”
Patrick Reed, with three wins under his belt since August, is 23 and Jordan Spieth, who last year became the first teenager since 1931 to win a PGA Tour event, is just 20.
McIlory said it made him look like a ‘veteran’ but he more than held his own against his young challengers.
The two-time major winner settled for a 71 after taking a bogey at the last, which was matched by Spieth, while Reed bogeyed the last three holes for a 73.
In the absence of the injured Tiger Woods, it was the McIlroy grouping that drew the day's biggest crowd and while they failed to scale the top-most heights of the first round leaderboard, there was some superb shotmaking on display to admire.
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I am very impressed with Jordan Spieth. He had a breakout year last year when he was only 19 and finished in the top 10 in many PGA tournaments after getting a waiver to even play on the tour. I think if he keeps his head (which seems like he will) together he will be a great player in the years to come. I expect him to win a major within 2 years.