McIlroy sets the pace on first day of Open Championship with six-under 66

Northern Irish golf ace Rory McIlroy set the pace on the opening day of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool with some splendid golf as he shot a six-under 66 to lead by one stroke.

McIlroy heads Italy's Matteo Manassero by one stroke while world number one Adam Scott, Spaniard Sergio Garcia, Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, Irelands's Shane Lowry and Americans Brooks Koepka and Jim Furyk were another shot further back.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods, who won at the Hoylake course the last time it staged the Open in 2006, fired a three-under 69 despite having played only one tournament since back surgery in March, The BBC reported.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson hit 74 and Justin Rose, who won of his last two tournaments including last week's Scottish Open, had an even-par 72.

However, McIlroy, who bagged the PGA Championship at Wentworth in May, suggested that he was in the mood to add to the US Open he won in 2011 and the US PGA the following year.

McIlroy's first birdie came at the par-four second where a 190-yard second shot landed yards away followed by further birdies at the fifth, sixth, 10th, 12th and 16th.

McIlroy said that it was just a real solid round of golf, and added that he hit the ball into the spots he needed to and took his pars on the tougher holes.