PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Playing in America for the first time this year, Rory McIlroy's first shot was a 2-iron out of play.
A relentless wind with gusts that approached 35 mph provided a rude welcome to just about everyone Thursday at the Honda Classic except for Jim Herman, who somehow made it around PGA National without a bogey for a 5-under 65 and a one-shot lead.
McIlroy managed to salvage a tough day with by holing a 30-foot birdie putt and two-putting for birdie on the 18th hole for a 3-over 73. It was his highest opening-round score to par since a 3-over 74 at The Barclays seven months ago. And he didn't seem too bothered.
The world's No. 1 player was competing for the first time since he won in Dubai a month ago. And he wasn't alone. He played with Dustin Johnson, who birdied his last two holes for a 77, and Phoenix Open winner Brooks Koepka, who shot a 78.
"The conditions were obviously very tricky from the start," McIlroy said. "From the first hole, it was always going to be a day like that. I feel like I salvaged something out of the round the last couple holes, but it was just a day to keep trying, not to give up and know that anything around level, 1-, 2-over par still isn't out of it."
Only 19 players managed to break par. Only three holes -- both par 5s and the downwind ninth -- played under par. Seventeen players had a front-nine score of 40 or higher.
Herman didn't mind the wind, though he moved to south Florida more than a decade ago and was surprised earlier in the week when there wasn't hardly any wind at all. Even with a 65, it still wasn't easy. He twice saved par from the fairway and rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole.
"I don't mind it blowing," Herman said. "I feel like I can control the golf ball pretty well with my iron game. So yeah, it was OK that the wind was blowing."
Brendan Steele pitched in from about 35 yards to save bogey on the 14th hole, a key moment in his round of 66. Martin Flores, Kapalua winner Patrick Reed and Padraig Harrington were at 67. U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer was among those at 68.
Johnson, who contended at Riviera and Pebble Beach, was 9 over for his round. Koepka was 5 over. Collectively, that made the group 19 over.
No one could remember the last time they faced such wind, which wasn't that strong for south Florida. There was virtually no wind in Hawaii this year, or even at Pebble Beach. It was a stiff start to the Florida Swing.
Phil Mickelson opened with a 71 and was relatively pleased, though that was hard work. He hit into water hazards three times on the front nine.
David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) had five birdies and three bogeys for a 2-under 68. He is in a seven-way tie for 6th place.
Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) had two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey for a 3-over 73.
LPGA
Lewis shares lead
CHONBURI, Thailand -- Yani Tseng shot an opening 6-under 66 Thursday to take a share of the lead with American rivals Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Brittany Lang at the LPGA Thailand.
Tseng, a former No. 1 from Taiwan who won the title in Chonburi in 2011 and 2012, had seven birdies and a bogey at Siam Country Club.
"Could be better, could be worse," said Tseng, a five-time major champion. "I miss(ed) couple short putts, but I just tell myself to smile and let it go."
Lewis, who only got her clubs back on Wednesday after an airline had misplaced them, started with an eagle on the opening hole.
"No. 1 was just a bonus, holing out with a wedge shot there," said Lewis, who also had six birdies. "I don't know if I've ever shot 29 before, so it was cool."
Lang had five of her eight birdies on the back nine.
"I got off to a good start with a birdie on 10 and 11," Lang said. "I was just really seeing my shots and committing to them. Just felt effortless really."
Defending champion Anna Nordqvist (72) had three birdies and three bogeys.
EUROPEAN PGA
Henning leads Joburg
JOHANNESBURG -- Nic Henning made seven birdies and an eagle and equaled the course record with his 9-under 62 for the first-round lead at the Joburg Open on Thursday.
Henning had five of his birdies and the eagle on the first nine to go out in 29 on the par-71 West Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. The European Tour's first 59 seemed a real possibility then, but Henning made just two birdies coming home.
Henning still matched Desvonde Botes' record on the course where he also won the South African Amateur Championship in 1991.
Henning is yet to win on the European Tour, and last won on South Africa's Sunshine Tour in 2005.
He leads by a shot from South African compatriots Tjaart van der Walt and Titch Moore, and Belgium's Thomas Pieters.
Moore had a hole-in-one on the par-3 No. 5, as the 13 leading players after round one all opened on the easier West Course. Players play a round each on the West and East courses before moving to the East for the weekend.
Newly appointed Europe Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke opened with a level-par 72 on the East Course.
England's Sam Hutsby and South African Wallie Coetsee carded the best scores on the East Course with their 6-under 66s for a share of eighth place.
Sports on 02/27/2015