Just days after becoming a father - girlfriend Erica Stoll gave birth to a daughter on Monday - Rory McIlroy stepped up on the first tee of the PGA Tour final in Atlanta.

18 holes later, the Northern Irishman could look back on a round of eight birdies and two bogeys for six strokes under par and a result only Mexican Abraham Ancer could match in the first day.

- I came here completely without expectations.

I did not touch a club for four days and when I came here golf was the last thing on my mind.

"Sometimes it can be good, you relax and get away from all the pressure," McIlroy said after his round.

Johnson and Rahm

Today's best score does not mean, however, that McIlroy and Ancer share the lead in the competition.

The two instead park in fourth and fifth place, four and six strokes behind leading duo Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm, respectively.

The 30 players in the PGA Finals were ranked ahead of the competition after the overall standings for the entire season, and were rewarded with bonus strokes, in descending order.

And with that, Johnson (minus three for the day) and Rahm (minus five) could keep out of the rest of the field.

Johnson had the chance to be in the lead alone on Saturday on the 18th hole, but his birdie putt of one and a half meters struck just past the hole.

But he did not despair.

- The game is there.

I have a lot of self-confidence and the swing feels good.

So I look forward to the rest of the race, Johnson said after his round.

Hovland glad 24th

Third, sandwiched between the leaders and McIlroy, is Justin Thomas.

Thus, the world's currently four highest ranked men's golfers are also in the lead of the PGA Tour's finals, the Fedex Cup.

A little further down the field, in 24th place, is the Norwegian Viktor Hovland, who went around in one stroke under par.

Hovland snagged one of the last places in the PGA Final and was happy after his round.

- If I play well, I will climb the results list, I just have to get a little better in the close game and putting.

If I finish in the top 15, I have done well, he says according to NTB.

The PGA Playoffs end on Monday.

The winner can then seize a victory check of 15 million dollars (approximately 130 million kronor).

CLIP: See Sophia Popov's tears after the unlikely major victory

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See Sophia Popov's tears after the unlikely major victory