Matt McCarty Takes One-Shot Truist Leaderboard Lead at Quail Hollow

Matt McCarty moved to the top of the truist leaderboard with an 8-under 63 at Quail Hollow on Thursday, taking a one-shot lead over Sungjae Im before rain stopped play. Nineteen other players will have to finish the opening round Friday at 10:30 a.m. ET after more than two inches of rain soaked the course.

McCarty at Quail Hollow

McCarty’s round turned on late scoring. He made birdies on No. 16 and No. 17 from 59 feet and 52 feet, then closed out the card with nine birdies overall in his 63.

He said afterward, "I've been playing some good golf for the last few weeks," and added, "I wasn't hitting it that great early today but you make a bunch of 50-plus footers and it kind of gets your day going." The back nine finished better than it started, with McCarty saying, "Hit it a lot better on the back nine and nice to get a few coming home for sure."

Im and the unfinished round

Sungjae Im was on his final hole when the horn sounded, leaving him one shot behind McCarty with the first round suspended by rain. Cameron Young was also on his final hole when play was halted, part of the group that will return Friday to finish the round.

The delay came after a storm Wednesday night and Thursday morning dumped more than two inches of rain on the course. That pushed the opening round back several hours and left the top of the board unsettled, with five players sitting at 5 under and Cameron Young and Tommy Fleetwood four shots back.

McIlroy and the chase

Rory McIlroy returned for his first event since winning his second consecutive Masters more than three weeks earlier and went through 17 straight pars before making birdie on No. 9. He finished with a 1-under 70, seven shots behind McCarty.

Sepp Straka, the defending tournament champion, was among the five players at 5 under with Kristoffer Reitan, Nicolai Hojgaard, Harry Hall and Nick Taylor. Justin Rose shot 71, Matt Fitzpatrick shot 3-over 74 and Alex Fitzpatrick shot 67 as the field heads into Friday with the leaderboard still open.