Friday 6 March 2020 16:09, UK
Matt Every continued his impressive Bay Hill record to upstage Rory McIlroy and move into a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Every, a two-time winner of the event, carded a stunning bogey-free 65 in breezy conditions on Thursday afternoon to jump ahead of morning pacesetter McIlroy.
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Talor Gooch and Scottie Scheffler sit two strokes off the pace in a share of third, with Graeme McDowell and Tyrrell Hatton in the group three shots back on four under.
Every, who missed the cut at the Honda Classic last week after a second-round 85, started on the 10th and birdied two of his first three holes before following a 15-foot par-save at the 14th with a two-putt gain at the par-five 16th.
The world No 309 followed a 35-footer at the first by draining a 50-footer at the next and then adding a close-range birdie at the fourth to move alongside McIlroy at the top of the leaderboard.
Every missed birdie attempts from inside 12 feet at the sixth and seventh but made amends by holing a 30-footer at the eighth to grab the outright lead, before closing his blemish-free card with a two-putt par from long-range.
McIlroy had recovered from a slow start to set the initial clubhouse target, with the world No 1 one-over-par after six holes before making a 25-foot eagle and five birdies during the rest of his round.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Keith Mitchell and Brendon Todd join Hatton and McDowell on four under, while Matt Wallace birdied his first four holes on his way to an opening-round 69.
World No 3 Brooks Koepka bogeyed the final two holes of his level-par 72, as Tommy Fleetwood's run of cuts made on the PGA Tour appears under threat after failing to register a single bogey in a four-over 76.
Watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues with Featured Groups on Friday from midday via the red button on Sky Sports Golf.
