Golf: McIlroy on top at Memorial

Northern Irish golfer finishes at nine-under 63 on day one.

DUBLIN: Two-time major winner Rory McIlroy fired a nine-under par 63 on Thursday to seize the lead after the opening round of the PGA Tour’s $6.2 million Memorial Tournament.

The 25-year-old McIlroy is fresh off a victory at the European PGA Championship last week, but is seeking his first win on the US PGA Tour since the 2012 BMW Championship.

“I obviously played really well from tee to green,” said McIlroy. “I holed a lot of putts as well, two really good up and downs at the last two holes.”

Masters winner Bubba Watson, Paul Casey and Chris Kirk each posted six-under 66s to share second place, while Keegan Bradley, Michael Thompson and JB Holmes were tied for fifth at five-under 67 at the Muirfield Village Golf Club.

World number one Adam Scott of Australia, who also won last week at the Colonial in Texas, Jordan Spieth and Aaron Baddeley were among a group of 10 players to share 11th place on 69.

Scott and McIlroy are playing in the same group for the first two rounds of the tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus. They are joined by Australian Jason Day, who fired an even-par 72.

McIlroy’s round included two eagles on the back nine. The world number six also had seven birdies and one double bogey, on the par-four 14th hole.

“I’m really happy and obviously a really good opening round,” he said. “It could have been even better, apart from a double bogey on 14.”

American Phil Mickelson was near the top of the leaderboard until he dropped five shots on the last three holes for a 72.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2014.

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