Good day for golf?s power couple

Rory McIlroy shot 64 and Tiger Woods shot 65 in Thursday?s first round of the BMW Championship.

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

CARMEL, Ind. ? They combined for 16 birdies, one eagle, 15 one-putt greens (add two more from the fringe) and an endless stream of followers at Crooked Stick. They shared jaunty banter, a few laughs and a lot of respect. Thursday was a good day for golf?s newest power couple, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.?

Afterward, once McIlroy had signed for an 8-under 64 that gave him a share of the first-round lead at the BMW Championship, and Woods signed for a 65 that left him just one shot behind, they stood side-by-side for a fairly extensive combo interview with the Golf Channel. They even seemed to enjoy it.

"It?s a lot of fun," Woods said about playing with McIlroy. "This is the next generation of guys coming out. He hits it great, putts it great, and on top of that, he?s just a really nice kid. The game of golf is in great hands with him, and he?s here to stay."

Said McIlroy: "I?ve always enjoyed playing with Tiger, and every time that we?re paired up, we seem to have a good time."

Thursday was the third round in these FedExCup Playoffs that Woods and McIlroy have been in the same group. The first two came at The Barclays, and the scoring conditions at the Bethpage State Park Black Course weren?t nearly as favorable as they were Thursday at Crooked Stick, with moist conditions and lift, clean and place rules in effect providing ample opportunities for players to go low.

McIlroy, the FedExCup points leader after his win last week at the Deutsche Bank Championship, and Woods, No. 3 in points, fed off each other most of the day (the third member of the group, Barclays winner Nick Watney, shot a 2-under 70).

McIlroy got his round cranked up with an eagle at the par-5 15th when he knocked his second shot to inside 10 feet. Woods opened with birdies at three of his first four holes and ended the round by chipping in with a 9-iron on his final hole for birdie.

Of the two, Woods thought McIlroy played better.

"I wasn?t playing particularly well, but I scored," Woods said. "Rory, on the other hand, played beautifully today. Every single part of his game was working. It all looked good.

"I was very fortunate to post the number I shot."

With the Deutsche Bank ending on Labor Day, McIlroy said he took Tuesday off before getting back to the course on Wednesday. Any worries about being flat quickly evaporated with the huge galleries and Woods in his group.

"It was great," McIlroy said of his ball-striking. "I felt like my iron play was some of the best it?s been all year, basically in my whole life.

"I was giving myself a lot of opportunities to attack the pins from the fairways as well. I just have to try and keep doing that for the next three days."

For at least one more day, he?ll try to do that with Tiger by his side. They?ll be on opposite sides in a few weeks at the Ryder Cup, but on Thursday, they were content to enjoy each other?s company.

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Source: http://tourreport.pgatour.com/2012/09/06/good-day-for-golfs-power-couple/

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