Rory McIlroy posted a one-under-par 71 in the first round of the Memorial Tournament in Ohio, recovering from early trouble with a run of three birdies before a bogey at the last.
The Northern Irishman, playing only his sixth regular PGA Tour event of the year, double-bogeyed the third after finding water but responded with three birdies to turn in one under. He saved par from a hooked tee-shot at the 13th and birdied the 14th from close range.
McIlroy hit a wayward tee-shot at the 18th into left rough, narrowly missing water, and failed to save par from seven feet. “I felt like I played pretty well… to play the rest of the round in three under was good,” he said.
Tommy Fleetwood shares the lead at five under with Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun and Ryan Gerard. World number one Scottie Scheffler laboured to a one-over 73, while Justin Rose and Shane Lowry sit at three under and two under respectively.
