Smiling Rory quickly back in old routine

One of the most admirable features of Rory McIlroy’s career to date has been his ability to bounce back from adversity.

That quality served him well once more with an impressive first-round 68 at the Wells Fargo Championship in north Carolina yesterday.

Playing for the first time since his final-round meltdown at the Masters last month, the northern Irishman showed few ill effects as he registered a three- under- par round that certainly fell within the upper register of his expectations.

Fearing a little rust early on after a three-week break, McIlroy began instead with a morale-boosting birdie as he compiled a score that left him just a shot off the early lead held by englishman Tyrrell Hatton and American journeyman Peter Malnati.

The next goal in Hatton’s meteoric rise is surely to win a tournament in America — where the world’s 20thranked player has been based for the past three months — and the 27-yearold made a good start in this event, finishing with two successive birdies, including one at the 17th where he holed a monster 50ft putt.

If there was one disappointment for McIlroy it was perhaps that he didn’t capitalise fully on a positive start that saw him pick up three shots in his first six holes. But that was surely nullified by the fact he’s a menacing presence on the leaderboard once more at a Quail Hollow venue where he already has two wins to his name. McIlroy gave a glimpse as to why he has an incomparable record over this course since 2010 with two meaty blows into the middle of the par five 10th green — his first hole — to open his birdie account. A wedge to 12ft saw him move to two under at the 12th before another birdie followed at another par five, the 15th. Thereafter, McIlroy (left) — who celebrates his 29th birthday today — traded two birdies with two bogeys and was content enough. Playing partner Paul Casey was another happy camper as he shot 69, a score that his fellow englishman Ross Fisher matched despite a bogey at his final hole. As for Tiger Woods, he was given a rousing ovation as he made his way to the tee shortly after noon for his opening round. A disappointing day, though, for his old rival Phil Mickelson, who shot a mediocre 72.