DUBLIN, Ohio — Hideki Matsuyama and Tiger Woods hit their stride at the end of their rounds at the Memorial, and it paid off in different ways.

Matsuyama was in the middle of the pack at Muirfield Village when he ran off four straight birdies and then holed out with a wedge from 130 yards on the 17th hole for an eagle that sent him to a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with 19-year-old Joaquin Niemann of Chile and Abraham Ancer of Mexico.

“As the round went along, I played better and better,” said Matsuyama, who got his first PGA Tour win at the Memorial four years ago.

So did Woods, which helped him avoid another big number on a course where he has won five times. Woods three-putted from 25 feet to fall to 3 over with five holes to play. He answered with three straight birdies – two on par 5s on the front nine – and got up-and-down from 62 yards on the ninth hole for a 72.

Beau Hossler, who keeps showing up on leaderboards as a rookie, had a 66. The group at 67 included Lucas Glover, while Jason Day was among those at 68.

Other top players struggled.

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Justin Thomas, in his debut as the No. 1 player in the world, was making progress until he hit his approach out-of-bounds on the par-5 seventh hole and made double bogey, sending him to a 72. Also at 72 was Dustin Johnson, who failed to birdie any of the par 5s.

Rory McIlroy played the par 5s in 1 over and shot 74. Phil Mickelson had four bogeys over his last six holes for a 74. Jordan Spieth shot 75, hurt by two double bogeys on the front nine.

LPGA: Michelle Wie was pleasantly surprised by the condition of Shoal Creek and her game after the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Birmingham, Alabama.

The 2014 champion shot a 3-under 69 on a course that’s been drenched in recent days and weeks, forcing the cancellation of Tuesday’s practice round.

“It’s mind-blowing how great the golf course is,” said Wie, who was two strokes behind leaders Ariya Jutanugarn, Sarah Jane Smith and Jeongeun Lee.

EUROPEAN TOUR: English duo Robert Rock and Laurie Canter and South Africa’s Richard Sterne all shot rounds of 8-under 63 to share the lead after the first round of the Italian Open at Brescia.


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