• Memorial Tournament, Round One

Rose putts his way into equal lead at Memorial

Justin Rose needed just 26 putts during his round © Getty Images

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Justin Rose produced a masterclass on the greens to claim a share of the clubhouse lead at seven-under after day one of the Memorial Tournament.

The world No. 66 needed just 26 putts across the 18 holes as he shot to the summit of the leaderboard with an eight-birdie 65. Australia's Geoff Ogilvy and American young gun Rickie Fowler later joined Rose on seven-under after a rain-affected day of play.

Tiger Woods, on his latest comeback, ended a frustrating round at even par after a wayward drive off the first tee and an unlucky bounce off a water sprinkler at No.6 cost him two early bogeys. He birdied nine and ten but struggled to make an impact otherwise.

Rose bounced back from an inauspicious start - he bogeyed the first and was one-over through four - to move ahead of a star-studded field. Fowler was one over through three but then went six-under through the next five holes to make the turn five-under, before further birdies at 14 and 18 helped him share the lead.

Ogilvy, who started on the back nine, left his one blemish until No.8, where a bogey cost him the chance to finish the day with the outright advantage.

The three leaders have a gap of two strokes over a five-man chasing pack that includes Phil Mickelson, who is lurking ominously after signing off on a bogey-free 67.

Mickelson showed no signs of the troubles he suffered at the Crowne Plaza Invitational last week, where he missed the cut and confessed aspects of his game had been "terrible". He was hitting the ball formidable distances from the tee, which bodes well for his bid to become the world's No. 1 - a feat he will achieve if he wins the tournament and Woods does not finish in the top four.

Rory McIlroy reached the turn at two-under, but he spoiled a promising round with two double bogeys on the back nine. The world No. 10, who had some difficulties with his approach play, is level-par through the first 18 holes.

Like McIlroy, Ernie Els got off to a flying start before struggling after the turn. Els was well poised to challenge the leaders after he completed the front nine in 33, but a back-nine 41 looks to have put paid to his chances of victory.

England's Mr Nice, Brian Davis, is one-under after a steady round.

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