An eventful first day at the Arnold Palmer Invitational saw Rory McIlroy come close to achieving something that hadn’t been witnessed at Bay Hill for 20 years while Ian Poulter cheered up his sick three year old son Joshua with a fine opening round of 67. Poulter’s preparations for his final tournament before the Masters were hardly ideal. While driving home from the course on Wednesday, Joshua was being taken to a nearby hospital with what turned out to be a bout of pneumonia. It was past midnight before he was allowed home. ‘It was certainly something of a blessing that I had a late tee-time,’ said the Englishman, who posted five birdies in a round that left him just a stroke off the pace set by American Morgan Hoffman. Rory McIlroy  waits on the first green during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational  at Bay Hill Club . Ian Poulter hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational . Poulter’s in good form at present, and having thrown away a golden opportunity to win one event in Florida at the Honda Classic three weeks ago, will be keen to give himself a chance to atone at this venue where he finished third in 2013. ‘It was nice to get Joshua home on Wednesday night and my wife Katie is a trained nurse, so I knew he was in good hands when I left for the course this morning,’ he said. After 15 holes of his opening round, a small slice of history loomed for McIlroy, just three weeks shy of his attempt at a career grand slam at the Masters. The world number one was swinging so smoothly he had hit all 15 greens in regulation. Not once in any round in his PGA Tour career has he hit all 18. No-one had done so at Bay Hill since 1995. Poulter hits an approach shot on the 16th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational . McIlroy hits an approach shot on the first hole during the first round at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge . Next up was the easiest hole on the course, the par five 16th. Yet it was here the 25 year old contrived to undo all the good work that had gone before. As soon as his second shot left the club face he started laughing at himself in exasperated fashion. He knew what was coming next. The ball bounced on the bank at the front of the green and back into one of the course’s many water hazards. There ended any hope of hitting all 18 greens in regulation. At least on the positive side, there were obviously plenty of excellent blows in those first 15 holes, and the reason he was only two under par at the time was he couldn’t buy a putt, which wouldn’t have stressed him unduly given the shocking state of the Bay Hill greens. Suffice to say that they’re nearer to municipal course standards than Augusta’s. Poulter hits an approach shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational . McIlroy of Northern Ireland talks with caddie J.P. Fitzgerald on the fourth fairway in Orlando, Florida . At least McIlroy finished with a birdie for a 70, which hasn’t left him too far off the pace. ‘There were a lot of good signs out there and with this being my last event before Augusta it’s important to play well in the second round and get myself into contention at the weekend,’ he said. Elsewhere, Padraig Harrington’s welcome revival continued with a 68 which left him alongside such luminaries as world number three Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott and the Scot Martin Laird, a former winner of this event. When McIlroy made his way to the first tee at a shade before 1pm he must have been heartened by the enormous crowd that had gathered. McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his second shot on the fourth hole during the first round . The entire length of the hole was lined several people deep and McIlroy gave them something to cheer with a couple of opening blows that gave him a good look at a birdie, with the putt coming up just short. The first three holes at Bay Hill represent one of the toughest starts of any course on the PGA tour but McIlroy looked in the mood as he registered three easy pars. A chance was wasted at the par five fourth but he got into red figures with a classy birdie at the signature hole. Poulter of England reacts to a missed putt for birdie on the 18th hole during the first round in Orlando . McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his tee shot on the third hole during the  Arnold Palmer Invitational . The par five 6th winds its way around a lake for all of its 500 plus yards but it held no fears for the Northern Irishman as he played a marvellous long iron second to 20ft and two putted for a birdie. Another birdie followed at the short seventh but that was the last putt he holed until he got to the 18th. After that effort from 15ft dropped he disappeared for dinner with the tournament host. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face when someone brought it up. ‘It’s going to be a really special evening,’ he said. McIlroy waves as he walks off the first green during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational . McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Rickie Fowler of the United States walk off the first tee during the first round .
Rory McIlroy was swinging so smoothly he hit all 15 greens in regulation . But the world No 1 messed up the easiest hole on the course, the  16th . Ian Poulter’s Masters preparations were hardly ideal as his son fell ill .
Joshua was taken to a hospital with what turned out to be pneumonia .