Atlanta, GA …..

Rory McIlroy readily picked-up a hefty Ryder Cup six-player Atlanta dinner check but with his five European Ryder Cup dinner pals laughing in urging he should send the bill to Team Captain, Thomas Bjorn for reimbursement.

Of course, McIlroy was instrumental in leading a wind-up of Bjorn during last fortnight’s BMW Championship and with Bjorn ‘tounge-in-cheek’ suggesting he would punish McIlroy by only allowing him to contest the Sunday Singles in next week’s Ryder Cup.

And McIlroy could again be in the Dane’s bad book if he sends the bill to Bjorn.

Rory McIlroy talks about his round of 67 on day one of the Tour Championship. (Photo @tourmiss)

The dinner was on Tuesday night with McIlroy arriving with two bottles of his favourite French Bordeauxand joined by World No. 1 Justin Rose, fellow Open Champion, Francesco Molinari, Paul Casey and Versailles rookies Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood in a team-bonding session on the eve of the Tour Championship.

“Rory ordered steak, Francesco, and who said he is on a gluten-free diet, ordered fish and ‘JR’ (Justin Rose) went for a whole bunch of salads and very professional from the World No. 1,” said Casey and a former Irish Open winner.

“Jon had a steak-type dish for a starter and then fish for the main course and then he was the only guy to go for a desert (laughing) while Rory brought two bottles of what were quite expensive Bordeaux and he also had steak.”

So, was it then a case of ‘Credit Card Roulette’ Casey was asked and a game where everyone at the dinner table throws their credit card into a hat and the one chosen is the one who is left with the bill.

“No, there was no ‘credit card roulette’ and with Rory right in there to pick-up the bill and with suggestions, and hopefully he does, sending it on to Thomas”, said Casey still laughing.

But then McIlroy was not in a toasting mood and sounding a touch disappointed in posting a three-under par 67 and after being four-under, and leading by two shots, through just six holes in heatwave conditions on day one of the Tour Championship on the East Lake course.

Ryder Cup rivals Tiger Woods, who holed a 30-foot eagle putt at the last, and Rickie Fowler share the lead with five-under par 66s.