McIlroy Shoots 68 in Return; Fleetwood Leads at Quail Hollow

Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his shot from the ninth tee during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, N. C., on May 4, 2023. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—A little time away from golf paid off for birthday boy Rory McIlroy.

The world’s third-ranked player shot a 3–under 68 at the Wells Fargo Championship on Thursday, May 4, in his first tournament since missing the cut at the Masters, leaving him three shots behind first-round leader Tommy Fleetwood.