US TOUR: Rickie Fowler birdied three of the last four holes to surge into a share of the early lead in yesterday’s opening round of the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 23-year-old Fowler took advantage of ideal scoring conditions at Quail Hollow Club, firing a six-under-par 66 to finish level with fellow Americans DA Points and Patrick Reed, Australian John Senden and Britain’s Brian Davis. Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge sank a 35-foot birdie putt on his final hole, the par-four ninth, for a 67 to sit one stroke off the pace with Americans Billy Mayfair and Brian Harman.

Fowler, one of the most exciting prospects in the game who has yet to win his first PGA Tour title, set his round alight by rolling in an eagle putt from 12 feet at the par-five seventh. He went on to birdie the eighth, 15th, 16th and the par-four last to set the tournament pace.

While Fowler made a storming start, four-times major champion Phil Mickelson was briefly derailed by a triple-bogey at the par-four fourth where he hit his tee shot out of bounds but then had a five-birdie 71. Mickelson ended the day level with world number three Lee Westwood while Lucas Glover launched his title defence with a 72. Former world number one Tiger Woods, winner here in 2007, and US Open champion Rory McIlroy, who clinched his first PGA Tour title at the 2010 Wells Fargo, were among yesterday’s late starters.

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP:Masters champion Bubba Watson has opted to miss next week's elite Players Championship at Sawgrass to spend more time at home with his wife Angie and their recently adopted two-month-old son Caleb.