McIlroy makes 17 straight pars on PGA Tour return

The Northern Irishman, who has taken four weeks off since his successful defence of The Masters in April, has fond memories of playing at Quail Hollow, having won this event four times previously. During his first victory in 2010, McIlroy made 23 birdies and two eagles across all four rounds, but on Thursday he had to wait 17 holes for his breakthrough.

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McIlroy looked set to go around in even-par before he drained a long lag putt on the 18th to make birdie and post a final first-round score of 70. Had he not made birdie, it would have been the first time in his PGA Tour career that McIlroy had made 18 straight pars.

He drove the ball beautifully all day, notably cutting across a group of trees on the dogleg left par four second hole with a huge 335-yard drive. But the 37-year-old's putting let him down, with McIlroy missing multiple chances for birdie, notably sliding a right-to-left putt on the 12th wide, before sending another wide on hole 13.

"I wasn't frustrated, I was hitting good putts," McIlroy said. "Some days they just don't want to go in.

"I was just trying to stay patient because I felt like I was hitting good putts, I overread a couple on the front side.

"Then I under-read a couple as a reaction to the over-reads. It was more of a read thing. I was starting the ball on my line and hitting good putts. I just needed to figure out the reads a little bit better. But sort of felt like I got into it by the end of the round."

After holing out on 18, McIlroy raised his arms in the air to celebrate finally draining a putt.

"It was just nice to see one go in at the end, something to build off," he added.

"I was thinking I can't remember the last time I played a round of golf and didn't have a birdie. I think I was just trying to make one. I felt like I didn't make birdie at 7 or 8, so I thought my chance had passed me by, but nice to see one putt go in there at the last."

American Matt McCarty finished top of the leaderboard with an opening round of eight-under par 64. Sungjae Im trailed him in second place at seven-under, before his final round was cut short, with tournament officials suspending play due to inclement weather.

A chasing pack that includes European players Kristoffer Reitan, Harry Hall, Nicolai Højgaard and Sepp Straka and Canadian Nick Taylor all trail the leaders at five-under.

Fleetwood gets off to a flying start

Tommy Fleetwood, who has struggled for form over the past month, got off to a flying start, making an eagle on the first hole, before posting four birdies on his way to wrapping up his round with a four-under par 67.

It was almost an excellent 18 holes for the Englishman, who had been sitting at T3 on the leaderboard, before he missed a par putt on the 18th to end his day on a sour note.

"Today was good, got off to the perfect start, an eagle on 10 was great. I felt like I played well, made some solid iron shots. The course isn't easy, and that was with conditions probably as soft as we were going to get them. So, playing well and we'll crack on.

"I was talking to Phil [Kenyon] about it yesterday, and it's like you can do everything right, and you know what it's like on the putting green and you say, 'that was a good read, started it on line, right pace, and it doesn't go in'. You can do all of that, but at the end of the day, putting is about the ball going in the hole, and sometimes if you're not seeing it going in, then it feels very difficult.

"I feel like today was one of those days I just, not needed, but wanted. I had a bit of momentum. Even that putt I hit on the last hole, even though it lipped out, putts looked like they were going to go in today, and that brings confidence.

"Who knows what tomorrow brings, we'll take the good days when they come."

Fleetwood shares eighth place with fellow Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick, who is making his second start since winning his PGA Tour card with his brother Matt at The Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Justin Rose, meanwhile, finished level-par for the day, carding four birdies and four bogeys. The Englishman is currently playing with a new set of McLaren clubs and endured a difficult outing at last week's Cadillac Championship, finishing T65.

Today, Rose lined up an approach shot on the par-four first hole, but hooked his shot, sending the ball down towards the left fringes of the green. Rose fumed, dropping his club on the ground before gesticulating towards it.

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