Skip to content

Scott Piercy and Marcus Fraser share first round lead at Doral

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights from the first round of the WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral.

Scott Piercy birdied seven off his opening 11 holes on his way to hold a share of the lead at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, where Rory McIlroy sits five strokes off the pace.

Latest leaderboard

WGC-Cadillac Championship

Piercy's fast start at Doral's 'Blue Monster' course helped him to a six-under 66 and set the clubhouse target, only for Marcus Fraser to move alongside him late in the day.

After following four gains on his opening five holes with a seven-footer at the eighth, Piercy kicked off his back-nine with successive birdies to temporarily go three clear of the rest of the field.

The American bounced back from his dropped first shot of the day after a wayward drive at the 14th to birdie the 17th, only to card a second bogey at the last when driving his tee shot out of bounds.

DORAL, FL - MARCH 03:  Marcus Fraser of Australia plays his tee shot at the par 3, 13th hole during the first round of the 2016 World Golf Championship Cad
Image: Fraser briefly held the outright advantage until a late blemish

Fraser looked set to claim the outright advantage when a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th lifted him to seven under, only for the Australian to find the water and bogey the par-five eighth before two-putting his final hole for par.

Phil Mickelson, who has not won since claiming his fifth major title in the 2013 Open at Muirfield, sits a stroke behind in third, with Danny Willett and former Masters champion Adam Scott in the group on four under.

"I hit a lot of good shots, I was really pleased with the way the round went," Mickelson told Sky Sports. "I probably let a few shots go early on, but I hit a lot of good shots.

Also See:

DORAL, FL - MARCH 03:  Phil Mickelson tees off on the 10th hole during the first round of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Trump Natio
Image: Mickelson moved up the leaderboard with a bogey-free back nine

"I was patient with the round and on my second nine I was able to make some birdies and capitalise on some of the shots." 

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Phil Mickelson says he has no complaints with his round adding that he hit a lot of good shots

Jordan Spieth was the pick of the marquee group alongside McIlroy and Jason Day, mixing five birdies with to bogeys on his way to a three-under 69, as McIlroy stuttered along the closing stretch to post a one-under 71.

Live World Golf Championship

McIlroy jokingly threatened to throw his putter in the water after three-putting the eighth, a reference to last year's incident when his three iron was despatched in to the hazard, before the world No 3 sent his tee shot at the next in to a watery grave to double-bogey his final hole.

Back-to-back bogeys after the turn saw Day card a level-par 72, leaving the Australian in a tie for 28th that includes defending champion Dustin Johnson and Billy Horschel. 

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Sergio Garcia did not react well when he mishit an approach at the WGC-Cadillac Championship.

Watch the WGC-Cadillac Championship live throughout the week on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Live coverage gets underway on Friday from 6pm.  Or watch from £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV.

Around Sky