The European Tour’s newest member was part of a six-way tie for the lead as Jon Rahm joined English pair Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher at the top of the leaderboard at the WGC–Mexico Championship.
Spaniard Rahm, who has been based in the United States since attending Arizona State as an amateur, carded a four under par 67 to join Fisher, Westwood and Americans Phil Mickelson, Ryan Moore and Jimmy Walker at Chapultepec Golf Club.
Westwood was two clear with two to play, but missed a five footer on the eighth and found a bunker at the ninth for back-to-back closing bogeys.
“I played pretty well to start the year," said Westwood. "I've been playing solid without getting full results from the way I'm playing, but I hit the ball well today.
“That's all you can really do, keep hitting the ball well. I rolled some nice putts in. These greens are tricky.”
Fisher, who carded five birdies against a single dropped shot on the ninth, admitted he was thrilled with his efforts.
“Delighted - played pretty flawless golf to be fair,” he said.
“Probably only misjudged two shots because of the altitude, one cost me a bogey, the other one was okay. I hit it good off the tee.”
Rory McIlroy enjoyed a solid start on his return to competitive action.
"I've been playing solid without getting full results from the way I'm playing, but I hit the ball well today." - Lee Westwood
McIlroy has played just once in 2017 due to a rib injury which saw him push through the pain barrier before losing to Graeme Storm in a play-off for the South African Open hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni in January.
Starting on the back nine of a course which reaches a maximum of 7,800 feet above sea level, McIlroy holed from 15 feet for birdie on the par five 11th and added seven pars in succession to reach the turn in 35.
The four-time major winner then drove into a greenside bunker on the short par four first hole and got up and down for birdie to reach two under par.
McIlroy dropped his first shot of the day by three-putting the fifth from long range, but produced the ideal response by holing from 30 feet for an eagle on the par five sixth.
That helped McIlroy sign for a three under par 68.
"I'm taking next week off to see how everything reacts and responds so it was the logical place to come back. I stayed patient and the week longer will definitely pay off." - Rory McIlroy
"The rib is fine, it's great actually," McIlroy said.
"How I've responded the last couple of weeks, ramping up the practice and then playing my first full competitive round today, I didn't feel it at all so all positive in that regard.
"I probably could have played last week but I wasn't going to know how my body was going to react playing four days in a row.
"I'm taking next week off to see how everything reacts and responds so it was the logical place to come back. I stayed patient and the week longer will definitely pay off."
