Irish pair well-placed in Florida

Golf - WGC-Cadillac Championship:The Irish pair of Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy were well-placed after finally completing their delayed first rounds of the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami, Florida where Hunter Mahan set the clubhouse target.

American Mahan carded an eight under par 64 to lead by one stroke from Japan's Ryo Isikawa in second, while world number one Martin Kaymer is third on his own after carding a 66.

As the storms abated, birdies became easier to come by on the TPC Blue Monster layout at Doral; Mahan carded nine in all with just the one dropped shot coming at the seventh.

McIlroy and Harrington both enjoyed opening four under par 68s, while US Open Champion Graeme McDowell was a couple of strokes further back after his round of 70.

Aside from the final number, McIlroy and Harrington can also take satisfaction from they fact they got round the Blue Monster without dropping a shot.

McDowell was playing alongside Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson with the lefthander struggling to an opening 73 while Woods matched McDowell's 70.