McIlroy and McDowell must make up ground as Furyk sets pace

Ireland’s US Open-winning duo of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell will go out quickly looking to make up ground on the leaders heading to day two of the WGC — Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

American Jim Furyk, 42, leads the event by two strokes in signing for a seven under par 63 with England’s Lee Slattery celebrating his 34th birthday a day earlier with a 65.

McIlroy ended a run of eight sub-par rounds in the lucrative no-cut event with a 70, before McDowell walked from the Firestone course in the last pairing of the round also with a similar level par score.