Pieters fires 65, takes 1-shot lead at Firestone

AKRON, Ohio - Rory McIlroy had his best friend on the bag and his best start on American soil in 18 months. For Jordan Spieth, it was more of the same with two long putts and another comment filled with bravado directed at his caddie.

Both of them opened with a 3-under 67 at the Bridgestone Invitational, leaving them two shots behind Thomas Pieters of Belgium.

Pieters, playing only for the sixth time since he challenged briefly at the Masters this year, holed a 30-foot birdie putt on his final hole at Firestone to finish a day of good scoring with a one-shot lead (65) over Russell Knox.

McIlroy split with J.P. Fitzgerald, his caddie of nine years, after the British Open. He decided to use Harry Diamond, who played amateur golf for Ireland and was the best man at McIlroy’s wedding, for the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship.

LPGA Tour

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - Finishing fast after a slow start, Michelle Wie birdied her last three holes Thursday for an 8under 64 for a one-shot lead in the Women’s British Open.

Wie bogeyed the par-5 second hole at Kingsbarns Links, and that was the last of her mistakes. The 27-year-old American shot 30 on the back nine and wound up one shot ahead of I.K. Kim.

PGA Tour

RENO, Nev. - John Huh made his eighth birdie on his final hole to finish with 15 points and take the first-round lead in the Barracuda Championship.

Huh had a one-point lead Thursday over Stuart Appleby and Miguel Angel Carballo of Argentina under the modified Stableford format at Montreaux Golf and Country Club.