LAST UPDATE | 3 Mar 2022
RORY MCILROY IS the first round leader as he shot 65 to stand two shots clear in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill club in Orlando.
McIlroy triumphed at this event in Florida in 2018 and made a brilliant start here to stand at seven-under. The chasing pack sees three Americans on five-under – Beau Hossler, JJ Spaun and Billy Horschel.
There are a group of players in fifth place on four-under, including Graeme McDowell, who also enjoyed a promising start. He is joined by Sungjae Im, Will Zalatoris, Adam Scott, Charles Howell III and Ian Poulter, after they all hit rounds of 68.
Padraig Harrington is down the field after a one-over 73, a consistent round of 15 pars, two bogeys and a birdie. After the 8th hole, Harrington finished with ten straight pars, while Seamus Power endured a day of struggles as he shot 80 to lie second last in the field, with two double bogeys and one triple bogey in his round.
But it is McIlroy who has set the pace. He bogeyed the 11th, his second hole of the day, but that was the only shot he dropped in his round, as birdies arrived on the 12th, 13th and 18th holes in his front nine, along with an eagle on the par-five 16th. McIlroy’s fine form continued with further birdies on his back nine, on the 3rd, 4th and 6th holes.
McDowell also began his round on the 10th with three birdies and one bogey on his front nine, before three successive birdies between the 2nd and 4th holes, saw him rise to five-under. He was leading on his one at one stage before being overtaken by McIlroy and then dropped a shot on the par-four 9th hole to fall back to four-under.
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