Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox has made a solid start to the PGA Championship with an even opening round in Oklahoma on Friday.
The 35-year-old earned a place in the field for the second major of the year on Tuesday thanks to his top-10 finish at the British Masters.
That form looked to have come with him to the US as Fox fired an even-par 70 at the Southern Hills Championship Course in Tulsa after starting the day with early birdies on the third and fifth.
However he fell back to the middle of the pack with bogeys on the seventh and eighth to head into the back nine with an even score.
Fox had a similar pattern in his final nine holes with birdies on the 15th and 16th which were erased by bogeys on the 11th and 18th, leaving him in a tie for 26th.
At the top of the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy etched out an early lead over the clubhouse with an impressive five-under 65.
McIlroy had seven birdies in his opening round marred slightly by bogeys on the 6th and 8th.
The Northern Irishman holds a one shot lead over Americans Will Zalatoris and Tom Hoge.
The opening day was a lot tougher for Tiger Woods who finished with a four-over 74 thanks with seven bogeys.
Woods sits tied for 108th.
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