Golf: Kiwi Ryan Fox, South Africa's Garrick Higgo move into top 10 after opening round at Zurich Classic

Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox and South African Garrick Higgo sit within the top 10 after the opening round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Friday (NZ time).

The pair shot a nine under-par 63 in the four ball (best ball) action to move into a share of eighth place, carding nine birdies to sit two shots behind leaders, Irish duo Rory McIlory and Shane Lowry.

McIlroy and Lowry shot an 11-under 61, racking up 11 birdies without a bogey. It was a stellar showing from the Ulsterman and Irishman, who have five major titles between them, in their Zurich debuts.

McIlroy and Lowry ripped off four straight birdies en route to a six-under 30 on the front nine, then came home in five-under 31. They're tied with the teams of Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard, Ben Kohles and Patton Kizzire, and David Lipsky and Englishman Aaron Rai.

One stroke behind that quartet of teams are Davis Thompson and Andrew Novak, Cameron Champ and South Africa's MJ Daffue, and Belgian Thomas Detry and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre.

The teams will play foursomes (alternate shot) - considered the more difficult of the two formats - on Saturday before the 36-hole cut. The field will proceed to play four-balls on Sunday and foursomes on Monday.

Eric Cole and Russ Cochran find themselves tied for 74th following a 3-under 69, but Cole got to enjoy a hole-in-one at the 207-yard, par-3 14th hole.

Reuters/Newshub.

Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox and South African Garrick Higgo sit within the top 10 after the opening round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Friday (NZ time).

The pair shot a nine under-par 63 in the four ball (best ball) action to move into a share of eighth place, carding nine birdies to sit two shots behind leaders, Irish duo Rory McIlory and Shane Lowry.

McIlroy and Lowry shot an 11-under 61, racking up 11 birdies without a bogey. It was a stellar showing from the Ulsterman and Irishman, who have five major titles between them, in their Zurich debuts.

McIlroy and Lowry ripped off four straight birdies en route to a six-under 30 on the front nine, then came home in five-under 31. They're tied with the teams of Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard, Ben Kohles and Patton Kizzire, and David Lipsky and Englishman Aaron Rai.

One stroke behind that quartet of teams are Davis Thompson and Andrew Novak, Cameron Champ and South Africa's MJ Daffue, and Belgian Thomas Detry and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre.

The teams will play foursomes (alternate shot) - considered the more difficult of the two formats - on Saturday before the 36-hole cut. The field will proceed to play four-balls on Sunday and foursomes on Monday.

Eric Cole and Russ Cochran find themselves tied for 74th following a 3-under 69, but Cole got to enjoy a hole-in-one at the 207-yard, par-3 14th hole.

Reuters/Newshub.

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