McIlroy grabs a share of the lead
World number one Rory McIlroy is one of four players tied on eight-under par after the first round of the BMW Championship.
World number one Rory McIlroy is one of four players tied on eight-under par after the first round of the BMW Championship.
Scoring was low on the first day in Carmel as the world’s best made light work of the Crooked Stick course.
Starting his round on the back nine, McIlroy began with two birdies before producing a sequence of bogey, birdie, eagle from the 13th to the 15th. A further three birdies saw the Northern Irishman card a 64.
“It was great,” McIlroy said of his round.
“With the soft conditions, you could really shoot a number out there, and I did.
“I took advantage of hitting the ball really well, hitting it in the fairway, which I need to do, and also hitting it long, and gave myself a lot of opportunities. I missed a few, but was able to make the most of them.
“Great start to the tournament.”
McIlroy is joined by US Open champion Webb Simpson, Bo Van Pelt and Graham DeLaet on eight-under.
Simpson and Van Pelt both enjoyed blemish-free rounds as they made the most of the good scoring conditions.
Tiger Woods, who partnered McIlroy, and Vijay Singh are one shot off the pace on seven-under.
Woods managed a massive six birdies on his opening nine holes but with slower scoring after the turn mixed in with two bogeys he is placed menacingly, waiting to pounce.
A group of three including former world number one Luke Donald are sitting on six-under while Zach Johnson, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler are among those on five-under.
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