LA QUINTA, Calif.

Jon Rahm shoots 62,

takes CareerBuilder lead

Jon Rahm shot a 10-under 62 on Thursday in perfect conditions at La Quinta Country Club to take the first-round lead in the CareerBuilder Challenge.

The top-ranked player in the field at No. 3 in the world, Rahm eagled the par-5 fifth — hitting a 5-iron from 215 yards to 5 feet — and played the first six holes in 6 under. The 23-year-old Spaniard had the lowest score of his PGA Tour career, topping a 64 two years ago at Congressional in his first round as a professional.

Austin Cook, Jason Kokrak and Andrew Landry were a stroke back. Cook played PGA West's Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, and Kokrak and Landry opened at La Quinta. Nick Watney and Grayson Murray each shot 65 to top the players at PGA West's Stadium Course.

Phil Mickelson had a 70 at La Quinta in his first tournament round since late October.

ABU DHABI

Mcllroy's returns

with 3-under 69

Rory McIlroy's patience was tested Thursday on his comeback and he needed three late birdies to register a 3-under 69 that left him three strokes behind first-round leaders Tommy Fleetwood and Hideto Tanihara at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Starting on the 10th hole, McIlroy made 11 straight pars, which included a three-putt par on the par-5 18th.

Fleetwood, the defending Abu Dhabi champion and last year's European Tour money-list winner, continued his excellent form by hitting all 18 greens in regulation.

There was a five-way tie for third place with Fabrizio Zanotti, Ross Fisher, Thomas Pieters, Bernd Wiesberger and Sam Brazel shooting 67s.

SINGAPORE

Garcia shoots 66 to

share Singapore lead

Sergio Garcia opened his season with a 5-under 66 and a share of the clubhouse lead on Thursday in the first round of the Singapore Open.

Playing his first tournament of the year, the Masters champion rebounded after making an early bogey to collect four birdies and an eagle at the Sentosa Golf Club.

He was later joined by American qualifier Kurt Kitayama in the clubhouse lead. Still on the course, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit was at 6 under through 16 holes when play was suspended for the day because of the threat of lightning.