Rory McIlroy shot an opening round of 66 RBC Canadian Open to currently leave him four shots behind leader David Skinns.
The bogey-free four-under-par round began with nine straight pars. A first birdie of the day for McIlroy, seeking his third victory in the event, arrived on the first, his 10th hole of the round. Further birdies arrived on the fifth, seventh and eighth holes, a satisfactory outcome for the Holywood player after only playing a pre-tournament nine-hole pro-am.
Reflecting on his round, McIlroy said: "I played the back nine blind. Hadn't seen the back nine. Only played the front nine in the pro-am. I was sort of happy enough to get out of there in even par and not make a bogey.
"But once I got that nine holes out of the way, I knew there were some chances on that front side and played probably much better on that front side. Four birdies there, no bogeys, was a good day's work."
McIlroy is in a share of sixth place alongside Andrew Novak, Erik van Rooyen, Nick Hardy and Ryan Fox.
Englishman Skinns carded an eight-under-par 62 to lead at the Hamilton Golf & Country Club.
American duo Sam Burns and Sean O'Hair are a shot further back in third
Both Shane Lowry and Séamus Power started with a two-over-par 72.
Lowry had a double bogey on six, either side of birdies on five and eight, and then went on to drop shots on 10 and 11.
After dropping a shot on the third, Power birdied the next but gave that back on the eight. It was then a case of pars for the Waterford native from there to the finish.
