Matt Every's affinity for the Arnold Palmer Invitational was on display again on Thursday as the American fired seven birdies in a seven-under 65 to ease past Rory McIlroy for the first-round lead at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida.
World number one McIlroy was in the clubhouse on 66 when Every -- whose two US PGA Tour victories came at Bay Hill in 2014 and 2015 -- caught fire.
Every's bogey-free round included a 45-foot birdie putt at the par-three second and a 32-foot birdie at the eighth -- his penultimate hole of the day.
He found himself atop the leaderboard after missing the cut with a second-round 85 at the Honda Classic last week.
"Sometimes I'm really good, sometimes I'm really bad," Every said.
"It's a weird game." McIlroy was buoyed by an eagle and five birdies in his five-under effort and was one stroke in front of Americans Talor Gooch and Scottie Scheffler.
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McIlroy teed off on 10, and was delighted to salvage a bogey at the 11th, where an aggressive second shot found the water and he finished by rolling in an eight-foot putt to limit the damage.
"Making five instead of six there is a big deal," McIlroy said.
"One-over through two instead of two-over is sort of a different feeling."
Birdies at 16 and 18 -- where he rolled in a 10-footer -- had McIlroy heading for the first with "a bit of good pep in my step."
- 'Good golf' -
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