Rory’s rollercoaster start to title defence

DEFENDING champion Rory McIlroy enjoyed an eventful start to his bid for a fourth victory in the Wells Fargo Championship. Playing for the first time since finishing runner-up to Scottie Scheffler in the Masters last month, McIlroy birdied five of his first six holes and followed a double bogey on the fourth — his 13th hole of the day — with birdies on the fifth and sixth. The three-under-par 67 left McIlroy two shots off the early clubhouse lead, shared by England’s Aaron Rai and the American pair of Matthew Wolff and Denny McCarthy. ‘I think first week back after three weeks off, there’s maybe going to be a couple of mistakes in there,’ said McIlroy. ‘The three-putt on 17 was an unforced error. ‘Eleven’s a tough hole. I got a bit of a flyer from the semi-rough and made bogey, but you accept that. I probably left a couple out there but I’m pretty happy with 67.’ Meanwhile, Thorbjorn Olesen and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox set the early pace at the Belfry on day one of the British Masters, carding six-under 66s. Scot Richie Ramsay is in a group of three players one shot back.