McIlroy leads Honda Classic while Woods struggles to maintain pace

Northern Irish golf star Rory McIlroy has taken the lead by a shot in the US PGA Honda Classic tournament on Thursday after hitting a first-round seven-under 63 in the Florida course.

However, world number one Tiger Woods struggled to read greens and combine solid putting with accurate ball striking to open with a one-over par 71, eight shots off the lead, and has now gone five consecutive rounds at PGA National without cracking par.

According to the BBC, McIlroy, who won the Honda Classic in 2012 to top the world rankings, birdied his last two holes to cap a fine bogey-free round to lead American Russell Henley, in a contrast to his infamous walk-out from the Palm Beach Gardens course to bring a premature end to his defence of the title last year.

However, 14-time Major winner Woods found dirt left of the fairway, then punched into the rough and found a greenside bunker with his third shot on the way to a double bogey at the par-4 second and missed a five footer for par at the fifth and a 10-foot par putt at the eighth for bogeys.

Meanwhile, the report added that Jamie Donaldson of Wales is in a tie for third after carding a five-under-par 67, while England's Luke Donald is two shots further back on three under.

American Zach Johnson hit a quadruple-bogey eight on the par-four 11th, his second, but recovered to post a 67 and join Donald, who had a six on the same hole, on three under, the report added.