McIlroy takes share of BMW Championship clubhouse lead

Rory McIlroy rediscovered his form with a six-under-par opening round at the BMW Championship, taking a share of the clubhouse lead at Bellerive Country Club. BBC Sport reported that the world number two finished level with Americans Gary Woodland, Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun and Chris Gotterup at the top of the early leaderboard.

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The performance represented a sharp improvement from the previous week's St Jude Championship, where McIlroy finished 66th. Before arriving at Bellerive, he worked with swing coach Michael Bannon and caddie Harry Diamond in an effort to correct the issues that had affected him in Memphis. McIlroy said that work helped move his swing back in the right direction, while acknowledging that tournament conditions would provide the real test.

McIlroy reached the turn at two under before accelerating late in his round. He birdied the 13th hole and then made three more birdies across his final four holes to reach six under. That closing stretch allowed him to join the group of four American players who had also posted the leading score.

According to BBC Sport, McIlroy felt Bellerive was a more comfortable fit for his game than the Memphis course. He pointed to the wider playing corridors and greater margin for error from the tee, while also noting that he had needed that forgiveness on a couple of shots during the round.

Japan's Ryo Hisatsune was one stroke behind the leaders at five under. England's Alex Fitzpatrick, American Michael Thorbjornsen and Sweden's Ludvig Aberg were tied on four under, while Matt Fitzpatrick was listed at three under. Those scores kept the leaderboard tightly grouped behind the five players sharing the clubhouse lead.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre closed at two under after withdrawing from the St Jude Championship following an opening-round 82. Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose were both at one under in the selected scores. World number one and defending BMW Championship winner Scottie Scheffler, who won in Memphis on Sunday, had made four bogeys in his opening seven holes and was well down the field while his round remained in progress.