Golf - WGC Bridgestone Invitational:Rory McIlroy made a good start to the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron by carding first round 68 to get within four shots of Bubba Watson's early lead.
Playing alongside Phil Mickelson, who opened with a four under 66, McIlroy mixed a birdie with two bogeys at the start of the back nine after starting from the 10th.
The 21-year-old got back on track thanks to a run of three consecutive birdies from the first before parring home.
The big-hitting Watson carded seven birdies in his round of 64 with four on the spin from the 11th and just one dropped shot at the 15th.
The American led by two from Masters champions Mickelson, who could replace Tiger Woods as world number one this week, and Kenny Perry.
Playing partners Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell were among the later starters and they too started promisingly to be one under through seven holes.
Long-hitting American Watson stole the limelight from the game's biggest names. Competing in the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) event for the first time, the left-hander birdied five of the last eight holes on a hot, humid afternoon at Firestone Country Club.
He ended his round in outrageous fashion, finding the left rough off the 18th tee before hitting a lob wedge over trees to 36 feet and coolly sinking the putt.
Two more Americans, Chad Campbell and Sean O'Hair, carded matching 67s while Frenchman Gregory Bourdy and American Steve Stricker joined McIlroy on two under.
Champion Woods, who is seeking a record eighth victory at one of his favourite venues, was among the late starters and was three over after nine holes.
Watson, who clinched his first PGA Tour title at the Travelers Championship in June, had never seen the tight, tree-lined Firestone layout before this week.
"I knew it was going to be tough but I putted really well, hit good iron shots and made it look a little bit easy," said the 31-year-old after covering the back nine in four-under 31 and totalling only 22 putts.
"But we're not done yet. We've still got three tough days of golf to go."
Watson, whose main target this year was to make the US Ryder Cup team, felt he had benefited from his relaxed approach at Firestone.
"If it's a win this week or whatever it takes to get into the Ryder Cup, that's my main goal," he said. "I learned the golf course in a couple of days ... so I'm just free-wheeling it, just having fun."
Mickelson was delighted to recover from two bogeys in his first six holes after teeing off at the par-four 10th.
"It was a good day in that I got off to a poor start ... and then was able to turn it around and shoot 30 on my back nine to get in good position," the four-time major winner said.
Mickelson holed out with a lob wedge from 50 feet right of the green at the par-four sixth to spark a stirring run of three birdies in four holes to finish.
"I was just trying to keep it at a couple under," he said. "And when that lob shot went in the hole, it gave me a nice boost. Not only did I get it up and down but I made a nice birdie and was able to get two more coming in."
Mickelson would become world number one for the first time with victory this week. He would also take over at the top by finishing in the top four at Firestone if Woods places outside the top 37 and England's Lee Westwood third or worse.