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Russell Knox in the mix at the Memorial

    FROM SKYSPORTS.COM

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama from Japan piled up four birdies on each nine to surge into a tie for the lead at the Memorial Tournament, as Tiger Woods fought back from a messy start to lie nine shots off the pace.

Matsuyama carded a bogey-free 64 to move joint top of the leaderboard alongside American Bo van Pelt, who fired 10 birdies during his round to set the early pace at eight under.
Jason Dufner look set to threaten the leaders when a 60-foot eagle putt dropped at the 15th and lifted the American to eight under, but a double-bogey at the last left him two strokes back on six under alongside Scotland’s Russell Knox (pictured above), while Woods’ return to action ended with a disappointing first round 73.  

Matsuyama, who won last year's title in a play-off with American Kevin Na, took advantage of relatively soft conditions to post birdies at two of the first three holes before picking up two more shots on the front nine.
Four successive gains from the 11th saw the Japanese star surge up the leaderboard, with the world No 14 finding all but one of the greens in regulation during an impressive first round.

"To be honest with you, up until yesterday I was not hitting the ball very well, I was not chipping very well, I was not putting very well," Matsuyama said. "And I don't know what happened overnight. We just caught magic."
Van Pelt birdied six of his first nine holes before losing some momentum after the turn, dropping shots at the 10th when finding the rough off the tee and at the 17th after leaving his approach short and in the bunker.
"This course is never easy, I made a couple (of birdies) early which helped," Van Pelt said. "I have played terrible all year but the last month has been better.
I was excited and something good was coming but you never know. I had been hitting good shots - I love this golf course."
Harris English and Ryan Moore lead the group of nine players tied on five under, with Masters champion Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose in the mix a further stroke back. 
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