Furyk two clear in Akron

WGC-BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL:WORLD NUMBER three Rory McIlroy was forced to conduct a rescue act of his own after a horrendous start in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Akron, where three bogeys in his opening four holes threatened to scupper the Ulsterman's quest for a maiden world golf championship almost as soon as his challenge in the $8.5 million tournament had started.

McIlroy – playing for the first time since the British Open and starting an extended stint in the States that will see him play seven weeks in nine, including next month’s Ryder Cup – signed for a 70, level par, that left him seven shots adrift of first-round pacesetter Jim Furyk.

Furyk, bidding to secure an automatic place on the USA’s Ryder Cup team, featured an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys in a round of 63 that left him two shots clear of England’s Lee Slattery with a six-strong group that included world number one Luke Donald and Masters champion Bubba Watson a stroke further back.

Whilst McIlroy recovered after a dreadful start, Graeme McDowell had the opposite experience. McDowell was three under through seven holes but suffered back-to-back bogeys at the eighth and ninth holes and eventually signed for a 70.

McDowell wasn’t alone in struggling on the homeward run: Tiger Woods too dropped late shots, the American suffering three bogeys in his closing six holes in also signing for a 70.

“I didn’t do a very good job out there at all,” said Woods of his putting, which proved to be his Achilles heel. “I’m trying to just be patient, just keep plugging away.”

And Michael Hoey’s delight at receiving an invite into next week’s US PGA at Kiawah Island was tempered by an opening round in the Bridgestone that left him languishing at the wrong end of the field. His opening 78 featured eight bogeys and he failed to find a single birdie, hitting only six greens-in-regulation.

Furyk, though, had no such problems in a 63 that was his lowest round on tour since shooting a 62 in Las Vegas in 2009. Coming into Akron after missing the cut in last week’s Canadian Open, Furyk – “I went out scratching my head figuring out how I missed the cut (in Canada), went home trying to get my head clear and focused on scoring and forgetting about the mechanical stuff on the course” – found the ideal response in assuming the first round lead.

For his part, Donald, on the back of a strong showing in the British Open, claimed that he was inspired by having the world No 1 target for others to fire at. “I love being No 1, it just reminds me of how consistent and how well I’ve played the last couple years. I mean, it’s a great plus in terms of the mental side, just knowing the results that got me there and it pushes me harder to work harder to try and stay there as well.”

Welshman Jamie Donaldson, who got into the field on the back of his Irish Open win, opened with 68. “Its just sort of one shot at a time, really. Do the best you can. The results take care of themselves. We’re going into the PGA, we’re looking at a decent week this week, and take some great form into that week, anything can happen.”