• WGC-Cadillac Championship, Round One

Blue Monster gets the better of McIlroy

Rory McIlroy found early trouble in Florida © PA Photos

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Rory McIlroy's maiden appearance as world No. 1 got off to a less-than-desirable start at the WGC - Cadillac Championship on Thursday, finishing seven strokes behind co-leaders Adam Scott and Jason Dufner.

McIlroy, who claimed the No. 1 tag by winning the Honda Classic a week ago, began with a bogey on his second hole at the Blue Monster in Florida, missing a putt that - by his standards - was more than makeable. Starting on the back nine he quickly rectified his score with an 11-foot birdie putt on the next hole, but he reached the turn in a one-over 37.

To be fair to McIlroy the cloudy, windy conditions were hardly ideal, but it was the same for all players and he was eight strokes off the pace having played just nine holes. Worse was to come as he dropped more shots coming home, but a late birdie meant he signed for a one-over 73, the 22-year-old paying the price for some poor putting.

By contrast, Scott was majestic in his first round, birdying four of his first eight holes on the back nine as the Australian drove beautifully. An eagle followed at the first before a birdie at the second, and Scott confessed his work off the tee was crucial.

"It's not easy out there, very blustery, and it's important to hit fairways. I did that," Scott told Sky Sports. "You have to hit the fairways because you have no control in the rough."

McIlroy played in tandem with his closest rivals for the No. 1 spot in the world rankings, and his own sluggish start paled in comparison to that of Lee Westwood, who endured a miserable round. Another to have started on the back nine, Westwood chalked up three consecutive bogeys in his opening holes, three-putting the 11th, after which he failed to recover for a four-over 76.

His eventual score was the joint-worst posted by a Brit, with Ian Poulter also failing to turn around his poor start to the year. Paul Casey was another to sign for a 76 despite going two-under through the first two holes, while Graeme McDowell and Robert Rock barely coped any better with 75s.

Luke Donald, the other man to play alongside McIlroy, threatened a sparkling opening round when he birdied two of his first five, but a two-under 70 was the best he could manage. A bogey at 17 followed by a double-bogey six at 18 spoiled an otherwise excellent round from the former world No. 1, who showed enough signs to suggest he will challenge come Sunday.

Tiger Woods is two strokes further back after he failed to ignite despite a wonderful start. In complete contrast to the lacklustre opening of McIlroy, Woods - the only man to have reached the game's summit at a younger age than the current ruler - strolled up to the first hole and eagled the par-five.

However, he was back to level-par by the turn and, having picked up a solitary stroke on his way in, he bogeyed the last to leave him six off the leaders.

The highest finishing Brit was Justin Rose on three-under, while other notable scores saw Phil Mickelson finish the day on level-par, alongside Woods and Sergio Garcia. Garcia's was arguably the eye-catching round of the day, hitting six birdies in nine holes, before spoiling his good work with five consecutive bogeys on his way in.

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