MIAMI (AFP) – Rory McIlroy fired a six-under par 66 to share the lead with American Daniel Berger and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer after Thursday’s (Dec 2) opening spherical of the twenty second Hero World Problem.
4-time main winner McIlroy, taking part in the 20-man invitational occasion for the primary time since 2013, made clutch pars at 16 and 18 to maintain his place among the many leaders on the Albany resort within the Bahamas.
People Webb Simpson, Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas shared fourth on 67, with Thomas stumbling out of the lead because of a closing double bogey.
The occasion, that includes 17 of the world’s high 25 golfers, was not contested final 12 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, ranked 179th, defends the crown he gained in 2019.
World quantity eight McIlroy birdied three of the primary 5 holes however stumbled with a double bogey on the ninth.
The 32-year-old Northern Eire star started the again 9 with back-to-back birdies and added an eagle on the par-4 14th. McIlroy adopted with a birdie on the par-5 fifteenth and parred in from there.
“I used to be actually pleased with myself after that double bogey. I performed the again 9 5-under. That was a great response to that little setback,” McIlroy mentioned.
“I performed the par-5s at par. That is not adequate to win out right here. I can not rely on doing what I did at present over the subsequent three days.”
McIlroy, who has bounced again after a disappointing efficiency in Europe’s Ryder Cup loss to america in September, seeks his third victory of the 12 months after PGA titles at Quail Hole in Could and the CJ Cup in suburban Las Vegas in October.
“I set my requirements slightly greater than that, however I feel I turned a nook after the Ryder Cup,” McIlroy mentioned.
“My recreation at present has been a continuation of how I’ve felt. I left a number of on the market at present. General. the sport is feeling rather a lot higher.”
Berger, taking part in his first occasion in 88 days for the reason that 2020-21 season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta in September, opened with 4 birdies and added one other on the seventh.
Berger, ranked seventeenth, eagled the par-5 eleventh however took a bogey on the par-3 twelfth earlier than answering with a birdie on the par-5 fifteenth. A botched chip at 18 led to a closing bogey.
“It is an ideal subject and whenever you present up right here you need to win,” Berger mentioned. “A bit rusty, have not performed shortly, however I did fairly good.”
World quantity 12 Ancer, who gained his first PGA title in August at Memphis, made birdies on the third and seventh earlier than closing the entrance 9 with a bogey, then adopted with birdies on 5 of the subsequent seven holes.
“Very stable spherical. Proud of all of my bag,” Ancer mentioned.
“The spotlight was positively my putter. I rolled it properly.”
Thomas, Koepka stumble
Thomas birdied the primary three holes and added back-to-back birdies on the par-5 sixth and par-4 seventh. After a bogey on the par-3 twelfth, the world quantity six birdied three in a row beginning on the 14th to grab the lead at 7-under.
However Thomas discovered a bush off the 18th tee and missed a six-foot curling bogey putt to double bogey the final and fall again.
4-time main winner Koepka birdied the par-4 fourth, par-5 sixth and par-4 seventh, then started a run of three birdies in a row on the par-5 ninth. However he fell out of a share of the lead with a bogey at 13 and parred in from there.