Injury-hampered McIlroy three off lead in Atlanta

Rory McIlroy played through the pain to shoot an even-par 70 and sit three off leader Collin Morikawa, after the first round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

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McIlroy - who injured his lower back earlier this week - started the day on seven-under and that's where he ended it.

He went out in two-over 37 before getting his first birdie of the day at the par-four 10th when his approach shot stopped two feet from the cup. However he gave the stroke back with a bogey on the next hole.

The 34-year-old hit a groove late, birdieing 13, 15 and 16. But his third shot at No 18 sprayed from the rough to a bunker, and he went on to finish with a bogey.

McIlroy is tied with Jon Rahm (69) and Matt Fitzpatrick (67).

Morikawa overcame a nine-stroke handicap to shoot to the top of the leaderboard.

As one of the lowest-ranked qualifiers in the 30-player field, Morikawa started the tournament on one-under-par but his round of 61 gave him a share of the lead.

Keegan Bradley, who started on three-under, shot 63 and Viktor Hovlund recorded 68 from eight-under to secure a three-way tie at the top.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, who started with the biggest handicap of 10-under, double-bogeyed the par-three 15th in a one-over round of 71, but he remains in contention one stroke off the lead.

Tyrell Hatton, one of five players to start on evens, worked his way up to a tie for 10th place with a six-under 64, but Tommy Fleetwood laboured to a one-over 71 to finish tied for 22nd place on two-under.