But before Thursday, one particular feat eluded him – a hole-in-one at an official PGA Tour event.

That changed for the Northern Irishman when he aced the par-3 8th hole during the first round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.

McIlroy stepped to the tee box of the 214-yard hole at TPC River Highlands with his 5-iron. His ball hit the meat of the green with one small hop and tracked straight toward the pin.

The 34-year-old threw both his hands in the air before high-fiving his caddie and two playing partners, Tom Kim of South Korea and Viktor Hovland of Norway.

According to the PGA Tour, McIlroy had played 3,253 par-3 holes over his Tour career before Thursday's ace. He did have one at a DP World Tour event in Abu Dhabi in 2015.

"As hole-in-ones go, I've had them in the past where it has been like an OK shot and you get a little lucky," McIlroy said.

"That was the best shot of the day that I hit."

It also made the difference in McIlroy's two-under-par 68, sticking out on a card that included five birdies and five bogeys.

McIlroy followed the ace with a pair of memorable birdies. At the par-4 9th, he blasted out of a fairway bunker to within two feet of the cup. After hitting a tree with his drive at the par-4 10th, McIlroy hit his second shot to 17 feet and drained the birdie putt.

"Hole-in-ones and great shots, and I also made five bogeys, which was the sloppy bit of the day," McIlroy said.

He was less than pleased with that part of his round after making just eight bogeys through four rounds of the U.S Open a week ago. Thursday was his first round since finishing second to Wyndham Clark in his latest missed chance at a major.

Asked what he did with the hole-in-one ball, McIlroy claimed he "threw it away."

"I'm not sentimental. I don't care," he said. "I'd rather have trophies than golf balls."