Six-time WGC – Cadillac champion Tiger Woods sounded a chilling reminder to his rivals, including struggling playing partner Rory McIlroy, declaring the Blue Monster was playing today the easiest competitors will encounter the Miami course.

Woods raced into a then share of the clubhouse lead with a sizzling six under par 66.

In stark contrast, McIlroy was then among just 15 players in the 65-player field in shooting a struggling one over par 73.

Tiger Woods relaxes on route to taming the Blue Monster with a 66 on day one of the WGC – Cadillac Championship. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

With hardly any wind, Woods put himself quickly in position for a seventh WGC – Cadillac Championship success, and a 16th WGC winning toast in 47 WGCs he’s contested, and then remarking:  “Today was about as easy as this place gets and consequently that’s why there’s about 50 guys even par or better.”

Unfortunately, McIlroy walked from the course in a share of 51st place and after at one stage of his round lying in second last place.

And in contrast to Woods, who is also looking for a second win this new season, there continues to be no shining light at the end of a horror tunnel for the double Major winner McIlroy who was finding parts of the Donald Trump owned Miami course not on the official yardage book.