BELEK, Turkey - Rory McIlroy made a fine start in his attempt to defend his European No. 1 crown with a bogey-free round of five-under par 67 in Thursday's opening round of the seven million dollar Turkish Airlines Open
In the first of the European Tour's four-event Final Series and as good as McIlroy's round was, he was still six shots behind the leader, with South African Jaco van Zyl coming home in seven-under 61.
England's Lee Westwood, who put together an exhibition of ball striking, was in second place at eight-under par 64, while his compatriot Chris Wood was in third place on 66.
Van Zyl's round was the lowest in the three-year-history of the tournament, but won't be considered a course record at Montgomerie Maxx Royal as the players were playing preferred lies.
McIlroy's round included a left-handed chip-out after pulling his tee shot against a tree on the 18th hole - his ninth - but he made a battling par there. He chipped in for his first birdie on the 11th hole, and after making the turn at one-under par, added four more birdies on his back nine.
"I thought it was good. I felt like my Van Zyl, who is ranked 51st in the Race to Dubai and 132nd in the world, made the most of the excellent scoring conditions with an eagle on the 11th hole and nine birdies. He seven-under par for his last eight holes, pars on 12th and 16th being the two holes where he deviated from making birdies.
Six players were tied at fourth place on 67 along with McIlroy - Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti, England's Richard Bland, Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Frenchman Julien Quesne and Austria's Bernd Wiesberger.
Ian Poulter was going well at five-under par after 13 holes when he was undone by a triple-bogey six on the par-3 fifth, where his tee shot found the water guarding the front of the green. He closed with a three-under par 69.
Gleneagles to host 2019 Solheim Cup
The Scottish golf course Gleneagles will host the Solheim Cup in 2019, five years after welcoming the Ryder Cup, the Ladies European Tour announced Thursday.
The PGA Centenary Course was the stage in 2014 when Europe's men players beat the United States for the sixth time in seven events and now the women's teams will face the same test.
Europe lost the Solheim Cup last month as the United States staged a remarkable comeback to win 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 in controversial circumstances in Germany.
Suzann Pettersen came in for intense criticism at Golf Club St Leon-Rot after denying she and teammate Charley Hull had conceded a two-foot putt on the 17th hole of their fourball match after America's Alison Lee had picked up her ball.
Europe was awarded the hole and went on to win the match two up, but it was the indignant Americans who eventually claimed the trophy by recovering from 10-6 down in the singles.
Pettersen issued an apology in the aftermath of the American victory and tempers appear to have now cooled ahead of the event heading to Des Moines Golf and Country Club in 2017.
The competition to hold the 2019 edition was between Gleneagles in Perthshire and The Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Sweden.
Scotland has played host to the Solheim Cup twice before — at Dalmahoy Country Club in 1992 and Loch Lomond in 2000. — Agencies
