Saturday 17 October 2015 03:01, UK
Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose both got their PGA Tour seasons off to a steady start with strong opening rounds at the Frys.com Open.
McIlroy opened with a four-under 68 as the highest-ranked player in the field, while Rose finished a stroke further up the leaderboard on a morning of scoring-friendly conditions in the Californian sunshine.
Beginning on the back nine, the world No 3 ended up behind a tree on his way to a bogey-five at the 13th, but bounced back by firing his tee shot at the short 15th to within four feet and sliding in the birdie putt.
Back-to-back birdies around the turn lifted McIlroy up the leaderboard, with a 10-foot gain at the fifth followed by another at the eighth to get the four-time major champion within five strokes of early pacesetter Brendan Steele.
"It's definitely better from tee to green than I was at the Tour Championship a couple of weeks ago," McIlroy said. "It's definitely a step in the right direction.
"I didn't hole many putts. I holed a few, but if I can get the putter going over the next three days hopefully I can get up the leaderboard a bit."
Rose also made his only blemish of the round at the 13th after failing to save par from 11 feet, although responded with a hat-trick of gains from the 15th.
Having been unable to convert a couple of birdie chances early in his second nine, Rose nailed a 15-foot gain at the fourth and another from a few feet closer at the next, before breaking in to the top 10 by picking up a further stroke at the eighth.
Early leader Steele reached the turn in just 29 after a string of five consecutive birdies on the back nine, eventually closing a bogey-free 63 to hold the early advantage at Silverado CC.
Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas was one back, while Harold Varner III stood third on seven under and was joined on that mark late in the day by Scotland's Martin Laird, who made four birdies over the final six holes for a 65.
Fifth was shared by Justin Thomas and DH Lee, while American Daniel Berger was four under through 10 holes but faded and signed fora two-under 70.
The season-opening event comes just 18 days after Jordan Spieth's record-breaking FedExCup win at the Tour Championship, with the PGA Tour's early tournaments often struggling to attract a high-profile field.
Watch the Frys.com Open live throughout the week on Sky Sports 4 - your home golf
