Arnold Palmer Invitational 2020: Rory McIlroy Trails by 1 Stroke After Round 1

Matt Every holds a slight lead over Rory McIlroy through Day 1 at the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational after shooting 65 Thursday.

The two-time champion at this event had seven birdies and no bogeys in his first round to finish seven strokes under par at Bay Hill Golf Course in Orlando, Florida. That gave him a one-stroke lead over the No. 1 golfer in the world rankings.

The tournament has a loaded field with eight of the top 10 in the current FedEx Cup standings, plus other big names such as Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler, which could lead to a lot of drama throughout the week with the Players Championship on the horizon.

Round 1 Leaderboard

1. Matt Every (-7)

2. Rory McIlroy (-6)

T3. Taylor Gooch (-5)

T3. Scottie Scheffler (-5)

T5. Sam Burns (-4)

T5. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (-4)

T5. Tyrrell Hatton (-4)

T5. Brendon Todd (-4)

T5. Keith Mitchell (-4)

T5. Graeme McDowell (-4)

Full results available at PGATour.com.

McIlroy entered the tournament as hot as anyone on tour and he didn't slow down on Day 1 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

After bogeying his second hole, he was flawless the rest of the way with five birdies and an eagle:

This has been a continuation of an incredible run to start his 2020 campaign.

In five official PGA tournaments, McIlroy has one win and finished in the top five every week. His level of play could make him tough to beat.

There will be plenty of contention for the title, however, including Matt Every after his strong start to the week.

The 36-year-old won this event in 2014 and 2015, representing his only wins on the PGA Tour. He was at his best again Thursday with great all-around play:

There are some other notable golfers outside the leaderboard but have a chance to climb the ranks in the coming days.

Patrick Reed (-2) and Brooks Koepka (even) were each inconsistent yet had great moments:

More of these shots could help either get back into contention.

Adam Scott is on the other end of the spectrum after shooting 77, putting him outside the top 100 with a hard path to making the cut. He was surprisingly upbeat after the round:

Still, there is a lot of golf remaining during the week at Bay Hill and a lot can change in the coming days.