| -6 W Simpson (US), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -5 B Koepka (US), S Garcia (Spa), B Horschel (US); -4 W Ormsby (Aus), SJ Im (Kor), C Smith (Aus), P Reed (US), J Rahm (Spa), T Finau (US), K Kisner (US) |
| Selected others: -3 R McIlroy (NI), L Oosthuizen (SA); -2 T Hatton (Eng); Par L Canter (Eng) A Rai (Eng); +1 J Rose (Eng); +2 L Westwood (Eng), R MacIntyre (Sco); +3 T Fleetwood (Eng); +5 D Johnson (US), B DeChambeau (US) |
England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick is tied for the lead with American Webb Simpson after day one at the WGC-Workday Championship at Concession, Florida.
Fitzpatrick, 26, carded four birdies on the back nine as he registered a bogey-free six-under-par opening round of 66.
Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka sits one shot behind, level with Sergio Garcia and Billy Horschel.
In his bid to complete a full set of World Golf Championship titles, Rory McIlroy began his challenge with a 69.
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy balanced three bogeys with as many birdies on the front nine and missed four putts within seven feet as he finished within three shots of the lead.
The 31-year-old missed his first cut since the 2019 Open Championship at last week’s Genesis Invitational, but his record after his five most recent missed cuts includes two wins and a second-place finish.
McIlroy told Sky Sports: “Of course it’s frustrating because you come off the course thinking you could be three or four shots lower than you were, but I’ve just got to keep putting the work in and hopefully it finds its way in there.
“I holed some good putts out there, it’s not that I didn’t hole anything, it’s just that I missed a few.”
The year’s first World Golf Championship event of 2021 in Bradenton has replaced the WGC-Mexico Championship, which was cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns.
World number one Dustin Johnson hit two double bogeys and three bogeys as he ended Thursday’s play well down the field at five over, alongside US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Elsewhere, Patrick Reed, the winner of the WGC-Mexico Championship in 2020, is two shots off the lead at four under, alongside six other players, including fellow American Tony Finau and Spain’s Jon Rahm.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton is two under, Laurie Canter and Aaron Rai are level par, Justin Rose is one over with Lee Westwood and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre two over. Tommy Fleetwood is a further shot back after a 73.
