Feb 21, 2019; Mexico City, MEX; Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
(Reuters) – Rory McIlroy almost aced a par-four hole en route to the first-round lead at the WGC-Mexico Championship on Thursday.
McIlroy’s two-iron at the 305-yard first hole, his 10th of the day, landed on the front of the green and his ball almost grazed the cup as it trickled past.
He sank the subsequent six-foot eagle putt and carded an eight-under-par 63 at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City.
The Northern Irishman headed American Dustin Johnson by one stroke.
Tiger Woods, after receiving an enthusiastic introduction from the first tee announcer in his first tournament appearance in Mexico, promptly hit his drive out-of-bounds.
He double-bogeyed the hole but recovered to shoot a level-par 71.
Defending champion Phil Mickelson could hardly have started worse, carding an eight-over 79.
Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ken Ferris