GOLF: Rory McIlroy fell into Jack Nicklaus' famous "Bear Trap" in the first round of the Honda Classic in Florida after taking a triple bogey six on the 17th to finish alongside Darren Clarke on level par, four shots off Robert Allenby's lead.

The 19-year-old was two-under par and only two strokes behind the Australian when he ran up the six at the penultimate hole at the Nicklaus-designed Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens.

McIlroy’s tee shot kicked off a bank and was lucky to stay just out of the lake by the green. But, after putting his waterproofs on, his second shot failed to make it up onto the green and rolled back into the water.

He was still able to play it, but his next attempt flew into a bunker on the other side and by failing to get up and down from there he fell to one-over par.

However, McIlroy, who reached the quarter-finals of the Accenture Matchplay on his first appearance in America as a professional last week, reached the 604 yard par five 18th in two and two-putted for a level par 70.

Clarke’s card showed three birdies and as many bogeys and at level par the pair were tied 28th.

Allenby, who almost holed his approach to his final hole, led by a shot on four-under from a group which included world number two Sergio Garcia and American Stewart Cink.

The 29-year-old Spaniard, a first round loser in Arizona, was out in front after a sparkling outward 31, but his only deviation from par coming home was a bogey at the short 15th, the start of the “Bear Trap” closing stretch.

“I was very happy to hit a six iron at the last to six inches, and just tap it in and walk away,” said Allenby, who was four under through 13 holes before alternating two birdies and two bogeys over his final four holes.

“I’m happy with four under. I think any time you shoot under par around this golf course, you’re doing well. I think four under is a fantastic start. It puts me in great stead for the next three days.”

Allenby has not won on the PGA Tour since 2001 but the Australian enjoyed nine top-10 finishes in 2008.

Garcia was pleased with his opening considering how difficult the course is. “I still felt like I played great on the back nine, and I shot one over,” he said. “That tells you everything about this course, and the last four or five holes are quite tough. I was happy to finish three under, and it’s a good start.”

Earlier in the day former European Open champion Mathias Gronberg crashed to a nightmare 89.

Only three months after a round of 64 helped him regain his PGA Tour card, the 38-year-old Swede slumped to a back-nine 50 which included three triple-bogey sevens, two double bogeys and two bogeys.

Gronberg was last by seven strokes from 2001 Open champion David Duval, whose own problems continued when he covered the inward half in 44 for an 82, going in the water on the final two holes and running up a triple-bogey six like McIlroy, then a double-bogey seven.

Defending champion Ernie Els shot 73, as did Justin Rose.

Play was suspended due to darkness with nine players due to conclude their first rounds today before the second round gets under way.