Fleetwood began leading the Wells Fargo Championship

Tommy Fleetwood took the lead in Thursday’s Wells Fargo Championship after the first roundtopped five rivals in one blow.

The Englishman finished the day with two consecutive birdies to sign off on a card of 65 shots and ahead of Korean Lee Kyoung-hoon and Americans Xander Schauffele, Kevin Streelman, Taylor Moore and Ryan Palmer (66).

Fleetwood, a six-time winner on the European Tour but never on the PGA Tour, made four birdies and an eagle to take the lead at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“I had my ups and downs at first“, said the 32-year-old, but “in general I played well” until I made “good finishes on 17 and 18, with some unexpected birdies”.

Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, a seven-time PGA Tour winner, made back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 to move into a temporary lead, but bogeys on 16 and 18 dropped him to second.

Rory McIlroy, four-time major winner and three-time at Quail Hollow, sign a 68-stroke card (16th) to celebrate his 34th birthday with fans.

“My eleventh birthday in Charlotte, I’m getting used to itsmiled the Northern Irishman.” I feel as good today as I did when I was 24, so I feel like I still have a lot of good years ahead of me.”

Wells Fargo Championship

First day of work

1. Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) -6 (65)
2. Kevin Streelman (USA) -5 (66)
Lee Kyoung-hoon (KOR) -5 (66)
Taylor Moore (USA) -5 (66)
Xander Schauffele (USA) -5 (66)
Ryan Palmer (USA) -5 (66)
7. Patrick Cantlay (USA) -4 (67)
Sahith Theegala (USA) -4 (67)
Kramer Hickok (USA) -4 (67)
Chris Kirk (USA) -4 (67)
Wyndham Clark (USA) -4 (67)
Matthew NeSmith (USA) -4 (67)
Emiliano Grillo (ARG) -4 (67)
Tom Kim (KOR)-4 (67)
Adam Scott (AU) -4 (67)
16. Beau Hossler (USA) -3 (68)
Rory McIlroy (NIR) -3 (68)
Adam Svensson (CAN) -3 (68)
CT Pan (TPE) -3 (68)
Kim Si-woo (KOR) -3 (68)
Justin Thomas (USA) -3 (68)
JJ Spaun (USA) -3 (68)
Nate Lashley (USA) -3 (68)
Michael Kim (USA) -3 (68)
25. Keith Mitchell (USA) -2 (69)
Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) -2 (69)
Seamus Power (IRL)-2 (69)
Gary Woodland (USA) -2 (69)
Im Sung-jae (KOR) -2 (69)
Lucas Glover (USA) -2 (69)
Troy Merritt (USA) -2 (69)
Chesson Hadley (USA) -2 (69)
Chad Ramey (USA) -2 (69)
Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) -2 (69)
Davis Thompson (USA) -2 (69)