Lowry three back at Truist, McIlroy makes solid start

Shane Lowry is three shots off the lead at the Truist Championship in Pennsylvania, where Keith Mitchell used a late birdie run to shoot a nine-under 61 and set the early pace.

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Mitchell started his first round at the Philadelphia Cricket Club's Wissahickon Course on the back nine and parred his first five holes. After birdieing 15, 17 and 18, he stayed hot on the front nine with a six-under 29 coming in, including four straight birdies at five to eight.

At day's end, it was only good for a one-stroke lead over Denny McCarthy. Tied for third at seven-under are Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Akshay Bhatia and Austria's Sepp Straka.

Offaly man Lowry and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley are part of a tie for seventh on six-under.

The Philadelphia Cricket Club is serving as a temporary host for the $20m signature event while Quail Hollow prepares to host the PGA Championship next week.

Freshly crowned Masters champion Rory McIlroy is a four-time winner of the Truist Championship, including last year, and he managed an opening 66 with six birdies and two bogeys. He's four-under, five off leader Mitchell.

McIlroy admitted he felt "a little rusty" as he opened his title defence, as he began his build-up for next week's US PGA Championship.

"I was a little rusty out there, just hadn’t played in a week and I hadn’t really done a ton of practice," said McIlroy, whose only outing since his US Masters triumph was a tie for 12th in the defence of his Zurich Classic title with close friend Lowry.

"I drove the ball pretty well. I certainly can tidy a few things up, but overall a decent day."

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