Off-key Rory McIlroy accentuates the positives

Rory McIlroy was looking forward to sitting down to dinner with Arnold Palmer but he was left struggling after having to swallow 34 putts on the opening day of the 2015 Arnold Palmer Invitational in suburban Orlando.

McIlroy holed a long birdie putt at the last in a no frills round of a two under par 70 that left him trailing four shots behind American Morgan Hoffman who put aside the agony of his beloved 97-year-old grandmother passing away to shoot a six under 66.

Ian Poulter putted from just off the green for an eagle ‘3’ at the par five 16th to be well in contention with a five under par 67 and on a course located around a 20-minute drive from his Lake Nona residence.