McIlroy quick out of the blocks in Atlanta; Power starts slowly
Rory McIlroy. Picture © USGA/JD Cuban
Rory McIlroy birdied three of his last six holes to remain in contention for the Tour Championship and the $15 million FedEx Cup bonanza in Atlanta.
The Holywood star missed just three greens at 7,346-yard East Lake and despite missing a tough chance at the last, he found his putting touch after a lesson from Brad Faxon and carded a four-under 66.
He started the new-look tournament five strokes behind Justin Thomas on five-under.
But he ended the opening day tied alone in fourth on nine-under, just a shot behind leaders Thomas, Xander Schauffele and world number one Brooks Koepka with the top-10 covered by just four shots.
"I'm very pleased," said McIlroy, who turned in one-under-par, then mixed a good par save from nine feet at the 14th with birdies from short range at the 13th, 15th and 17th thanks to some corrections made by Faxon.
"I'd like to have birdied the last but I felt like I birdied the holes I should have and I am right there with three rounds to go."
Schauffele, who started six behind on four-under, fired six-under 64 to set the target at 10-under before being joined by Koepka, who shot 67.
Thomas struggled but birdied the last for a 70 and while McIlroy is a shot behind, the Co Down man was pleased with his day's work, despite missing as seven footer for birdie at the last.
"East Lake is a hard course to get away from anyone," he said. "If I can replicate this round of golf three more times, I feel like I will have a good chance."
It was a tougher day for Seamus Power in the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco - the second event of the three-tournament Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
Power, who has yet to score any points in the race for 25 PGA Tour cards having missed the cut in Ohio, opened with a one-under 70 at Hillcrest Country Club in Idaho.
He shares 55th place, six shots behind Charlie Saxon and Grayson Murray, who shot seven-under 64’s to lead by one stroke.
Power is projected to pick up eight points in the Korn Ferry rankings (T74) and needs a T7 finish this week to make a move into the top 25.
He started on the back nine and turned in an excellent four-under by following a birdie at the 10th with three in a row from the 15th.
But he then made four bogeys in his first five holes, three-putting the first and fourth and mixing a birdie at the third with failures to get up and down after errant tee shots at the par-five second, the short fourth and the testing fifth, 448-yard fifth.
