Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy make solid Memorial starts as Tony Finau leads

Woods and McIlroy were among the later starters on Thursday and played in the windiest of conditions -6 T Finau (USA); -5 R Palmer (USA); -4 B Steele (USA), G Woodland (USA); -3 C Howell III (USA), L Glover (USA), J Rahm (Spa), Selected: -2 R McIlroy (NI), J Spieth (USA); -1 P Reed (USA), P Casey (Eng), T Woods (USA); Level M Wallace (Eng), P Mickelson (US), B Koepka (US), S Garcia (Spa); +1 B DeChambeau (USA), J Rose (Eng), S Lowry (Ire)

World number one Rory McIlroy is four shots behind the American leader Tony Finau after a solid two-under-opening round at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio.

Finau shot nine birdies and three bogeys in a breathtaking 66 on a stormy day with gusts reaching 30mph.

Ryan Palmer hit a bogey-free 65 to sit back, while Spanish Jon Rahm is in a group of three under par.

Tiger Woods, who played his first event since the coronavirus break, birdied the first and the 18th in a one-under 71.

The Muirfield Village course also hosted the PGA Last week's tour event, won after a playoff from Collin Morikawa at 19 under par.

This week's Jack Nicklaus-hosted tournament is not expected to be won by so & # 39; n a low score with the fairways and greens all running much faster than last week.

Only 24 players carded under par scores on a tough opening day, which was replayed behind closed doors

"It's not even in near the same, "said Justin Thomas, who was defeated by Morikawa in the playoff. He had four bogeys in a two-over-74 to match his total total at last week's event.

"It was a completely different golf course," Thomas added.

We had hoped this event would be the first to allow spectators to watch, but the PGA Tour decided to play the rest of the season with no fans present, as cases of coronavirus continue to rise in the United States.

McIlroy and Woods are making solid starts

McIlroy from Northern Ireland worked with Woods and his fellow American Brooks Koepka in a stellar group with 23 majors between them.

And it was McIlroy who had the least benefits after the first round. He had four birdies and two bogeys when he recorded his 13th round under par of the 15 he had played since the resumption of the PGA Tour.

Woods, who also had four birdies in his round, admitted he was "a little rusty" after five months away from the tournament action, but added "it was a good start". event since a stiff back bothered him during the Genesis Open in Riviera in February.

"I had no problem whatsoever with energy and didn't have the reactions of the fans out there," Woods said. "I still felt the same eagerness, sharpness, nervousness that started, and it was good. I haven't felt this in a while."

Woods, who has won this tournament a record five times, will break Sam Snead's 55 year old record of 82 PGA Tour wins if he is successful again this week.

Koepka, who has won four majors just like McIlroy, matched five bogeys with five birdies and is one of 17 players, including England's Matt Wallace, at level par.

World number two Rahm, who managed to capture McIlroy's top spot this week, placed himself firmly in the fight with five birdies in his round of 69.

He is behind US Open champion Gary Woodland, who is four under, alongside fellow American Brendan Steele.

Former champion Bryson DeChambeau, one of the favorites who came to the event, finished after a round including a dizzying 423 yard ride leading to a birdie at the first hole par -four.