Golf:Consecutive birdies immediately after the turn brought Rory McIlroy to seven-under-par at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami, Florida, where he trailed Hunter Mahan by two.

The Ulsterman opened began with a couple of birdies from the first but gave a shot back at the par four fifth before reaching the turn unscathed.

After 11 holes, he was in a tie for second alongside world number one Martin Kaymer and Italian Francesco Molinari. The latter was also three under for his round, while Mahan was one under today through 17.

Pádraig Harrington opened with a birdie but dropped shots at the third and seventh to fall back to three under through 11, two ahead of Graeme McDowell. Like his compatriots, the Portrush golfer birdied the first but fell foul of the third and sixth and was one under through 13.