GRAEME McDOWELL fought back well to post a one-under-par 71 in the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill after the round had threatened to get away from him on the front nine.

Starting on the 10th, McDowell birdied the par three 13th, but immediately proceeded to run up three successive bogeys. The Irishman regrouped, however, and played a flawless back nine with birdies at the second, fourth and sixth.

Crucially he kept things together with a great save at the par three seventh, where he sank a putt of 12 feet for par after hitting his tee-shot into a bunker.

JB Holmes was the early clubhouse leader as he attempted to secure a place at the upcoming Masters at Augusta.

Holmes needs a top-four finish in Florida to have any chance of securing himself a place inside the world’s top 50 and an invitation to the first major of the year and he got off to the best possible start with a six-under-par round of 66l.

The 27-year-old produced birdies at the fifth, sixth and ninth to go out in 33, before picking up another shot at the 10th and an eagle at the par five 12th as he completed a flawless round. He was later joined by Davis Love on six under.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Canada’s Mike Weir headed the chasing pack on five under with both players registering seven birdies. Next up was a group of four players at four under including Ernie Els and Kevin Streelman, Kevin Na and Robert Allenby.

Australia’s Allenby provided one of the highlights of the day when he holed out his second shot on the 400-yard 10th for an eagle.

Love made an incredible start to his round, being four under par after just seven holes which included chipping in three times in a run of four birdies, an eagle and two bogeys.

He didn’t have his first par until the par four eighth.