SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda — US Open champion Justin Rose fired a four-under par 67 Tuesday to take a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the four-man Grand Slam of Golf. PGA Champion Jason Dufner carded a two-under 69, Masters winner Adam Scott fired a one-under 60 and defending champion Padraig Harrington stumbled to a three-over 74. Harrington replaced British Open champion Phil Mickelson in the event designed to pit the year's four major champions against each other. Rose, Dufner and Scott, all first-time major champions in 2013, were tied for the lead at three-under on the tee at the par-three 16th. Scott's tee shot landed in a greenside bunker and the Australian ended up with a double bogey. “It was impossible to get it near the hole,” Scott said of his sand shot. “I was trying to hit it 50 feet long up near Justin's ball, but misjudged it a little bit and it came out so soft.” Dufner left his tee shot short en route to a bogey, and Rose seized the outright lead with a par. England's Rose birdied 17 to stretch his lead. “I felt like I didn't really play my best today, but I kept the ball out of some really bad spots out there on the golf course,” Rose said. “I felt like I putted really well today.” The tournament concludes with another 18 holes at Port Royal Golf course. McIlroy seeks solace and form Troubled former world number one Rory McIlroy admitted he was “seeking solace” as he prepared to begin a lucrative three-week Asian swing at the Kolon Korea Open Thursday. McIlroy competes at the $1 million OneAsia Tour event at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, south of Seoul, having taken a month off since failing to qualify for the USPGA Tour Championship. But his break from playing has coincided with an acrimonious split from his management company and rumors abounding in the British and Irish press of the end of his relationship with long-term girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki. The rumors were denied by the tennis player in a Danish newspaper Tuesday, and were subject of a sharp response from McIlroy in Korea: “My private life is private. I'd like to keep it that way.” So the softly-spoken Northern Irishman can be forgiven for getting as far away from it all as possible over the coming weeks in places where he has good memories. “I'm just happy to be back on the golf course and doing what I do best. It's a nice place for a little bit of solace,” McIlroy said at a press conference Tuesday. – Agencies
