Once again, Rory McIlroy has quickly put himself into contention with his lowest-ever round in the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.

McIlroy carded four under par 66 early on day one of the event on the PGA National course that is two shots better than a 68 he posted in the second round on debut in the tournament in 2009.

Also it is only the fifth time McIlroy has broken par in 13 rounds on the tough Jack Nicklaus designed layout.

McIlroy, who will become the new World No. 1 should he win this week, picked up five birdies and with his only blemish a 17th hole bogey.

The Northern Irishman, and one of 18 Europeans vying for the $US 1.026m first prize cheque, grabbed the clubhouse lead to join England’s Justin Rose and the American pair of Dicky Pride and Ryan Palmer also with 66s on the par 70 lay out.

USA Ryder Cup captain, Davis Love 111 then went past his European rivals with a six under par 64 that included birdies at his closing two holes to lead by two shots.

Love brilliantly capped his round in acing the 217-year par three three fifth hole when he used a 5-iron to jump to two under par before then brilliantly grabbing three birdies  in succession from the seventh to be five under at the turn.

The American, who will lead the USA into competition at Medinah in September, dropped a shot at the 10th ahead of his closing two birdies.

Love 111 first teed up in the Honda Classic in 1986 and three years before McIlroy was born and while runner-up in both 2003 and 2004 the American is yet to taste success in the tournament.

His 64 is Love 111’s lowest ever score in 67 rounds and a shot better than a prior low of 65 he posted in both the second and third round in 2003.

McIlroy highlighted his round with back-to-back birdies at the par three 17th and par four 18th that the reigning U.S. Open champion was contesting as his eighth and ninth.

Fellow Major Champions Keegan Bradley and Louis Oosthuizen were already well placed in signing for three under par 67s.

In contrast Justin Leonard, winner of the 1997 British Open, signed for a three over par 73.

Tiger Woods, competing in the event for a first occcasion, was off to a positive start with a birdie at the first however fellow U.S. Open winner, Graeme McDowell commenced with a bogey.

Ian Poulter was due to play with Woods and Lee Westwood, but said on his Twitter site: “Sorry guys – never been so disappointed in pulling out of a tournament. Never felt so rough.”

Last night he had tweeted: “Heading straight to bed, 101.2 temperature, freezing then sweating. I hope I can sweat it out overnight or it could be home for me.” He even took a picture of the thermometer.

Then on Thursday afternoon after seeking medical advice he wrote: “Just been for a chest X-ray got Pneumonia guys, rest time for me.”

His place went to Argentina’s Miguel Angel Carballo, a PGA Tour rookie ranked 299th in the world.

But the news for Arjun Atwal, and a regular practice partner with Woods, wasn’t good with the India golfer signing for a 10-over par 80 that included four double bogeys and a triple bogey in his round.