San Francisco: Rory McIlroy marked his PGA Tour season debut with a sensational hole-in-one on his way to a six-under-par 66 in the opening round of the PGA Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament on Thursday.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland, who finished the day two shots adrift of leader Russell Henley, aced the par-three 15th hole at Spyglass Hill after lofting a wedge 119 yards off the tee and directly into the hole.

“Honestly, it was lucky, I don´t see many balls nowadays go straight in the hole and stay in the hole,” McIlroy said afterwards. “Pretty fortunate because it could have come out and went back in the water or do anything. It was a good swing, good wedge shot.”