Rory McIlroy began the Tour Championship needing to make up six strokes on the world No. 1. That hill became a mountain after one hole on Thursday.

McIlroy hit his opening tee shot out of bounds on the par-4 first at East Lake Golf Club. He eventually made a triple bogey. The 2019 FedExCup champion began the staggered-scoring event at 4 under par and immediately dropped to minus-1, nine back of leader Scottie Scheffler.

In addition to his deficit, McIlroy did not have much in his favor as he teed off on Day 1. Rain was coming down heavily when he and Cam Smith began their rounds and Smith, teeing off first, went well right with his drive.

McIlroy, on the other hand, pulled his driver way left, flying over the out-of-bounds fencing. He reloaded off the tee and found a left fairway bunker. After coming up short of the green with his fourth shot (including the penalty stroke), McIlroy chipped on and two-putted from 10 feet.

"I got off to the worst start possible," McIlroy said following his round. "We got a little unfortunate that we teed off in that big downpour earlier in the day. I tried to guide sort of this little peeler into the fairway at the first and complete double-crossed, body stopped."

McIlroy then bogeyed the par-3 second hole to drop to even par, 10 back of Scheffler, who was just beginning his first round.

That, however, was just a stomach-upsetting start to a wild ride. McIlroy made only one par over his first nine holes. In addition to the aforementioned triple bogey and bogey, he made two more bogeys, three birdies and an eagle at the par-5 sixth.

He turned in 1-over 36, but the back nine was more topsy than turvy. McIlroy made five birdies and one bogey for an inward 31. It added up to a 3-under 67, with only four pars on the day.

He finished at 7 under, losing two shots on the day to Scheffler (65) who leads at 15 under.

"I felt like I played myself out of the tournament the first few holes, and then I feel like I played myself back into the tournament the last few holes," McIlroy said. "But I think this tournament is – like it depends what Scottie does.

"I can go out and shoot a really good score tomorrow, but if Scottie is seven or eight [shots] or whatever he is ahead of me, then it makes things really difficult. But if I go out and shoot a good score tomorrow and Scottie has a lackluster day, then he brings a lot of guys in it, and over 36 holes anything can happen."