Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy in early contention at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy put themselves in trouble after the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Bay Hill, Florida.
Lowry of Ireland tied for second with Keegan Bradley, Corey Conners and Christian Bezuidenhout with 69.
World No. 2 McIlroy played against U.S. leader Wyndham Clark with a 70-and-three shot percentage, who knocked out three birdies in the final six holes and signed a 67-under-67 birdie.
However, Lowry and Northern Ireland’s McIlroy scored the scoring limit on the 18th shooting percentage, with only 14 players breaking par.
American Wyndham Clark challenged the challenge in a strong wind, hitting three birdies in the last six holes to take a two-stroke lead below five.
England’s Justin Rose briefly led the first nine games but finished second in McIlroy’s match, beating double bogey after shooting his tee for the ninth time.
Scottie Scheffler, who won the tournament 12 months ago, played side by side with Justin Thomas, who started with a two-double bogey nightmare on four opening holes.
But other fights included former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who ran four-bogey eight on the par 11 hole, when he shot 78.
The performance of defending open champion Xander Schauffele was slightly different, dropping six shots in his first 10 holes in the round, completing a stroke better than the British.
