By . Derek Lawrenson for the Daily Mail . The two young Americans who lie first and second in the FedEx Cup race and who were overlooked for the US Ryder Cup team just happen to be tied for the lead following the opening round of the Tour Championship on Thursday. Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel both shot 66 while two of captain Tom Watson’s wild cards, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan, lie tied 27th in the 29 man field after rounds of 74. Sparing Watson a sleepless night might have been the fact a quarter of the team who will fly to Gleneagles in ten days are all tied seventh or better. Rory McIlroy hits from behind a tree on the 15th during the first round of the Tour Championship . Leaders after round one: . Billy Horschel -4 . Chris Kirk -4 . Jim Furyk -3 . Bubba Watson -3 . Jason Day -3 . Patrick Reed -3 . Selected others: . Sergio Garcia -1 . Adam Scott -1 . Rickie Fowler -1 . Rory McIlroy -1 . Ever consistent Jim Furyk and Masters champion Bubba Watson both shot 67 while Zach Johnson and Georgia native Matt Kuchar finished with rounds of 68. As for Rory McIlroy, who needs to win this event to claim the $10 million FedEx bonus, he finished well for a 69 and then talked about the Twitter backlash on Wednesday night that left him aghast. There on social media, he was getting abused for purportedly saying that Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods are washed up, and their day had come and gone. Which was, quite frankly, a travesty. Asked a straightforward question at his press conference on Wednesday about the absence of the pair from the Tour Championship for the first time since 1992, McIlroy gave a typically straightforward answer. ‘They’re just getting older,’ he responded. ‘Phil is 43 or whatever he is (he is 44) and Tiger is nearly 40. So they’re getting into the last few holes of their careers.’ Rory McIlroy hits a tee shot on the first hole  during the first round of the Tour Championship . Given Mickelson has been a pro for 23 years and Tiger for 19, it seemed a statement of the obvious, albeit a candid one. Thank goodness McIlroy did not feel the need to backtrack on Twitter. He was just anxious to clear up any misconceptions. ‘Got a question today about Tiger and Phil,’ he tweeted. ‘Gave an honest answer, was very complimentary about the 2 best golfers of this generation….golfers on average have a 20-25 year career, both into the back 9 of their careers….don’t think there is anything wrong with saying that.’ There is not, and thankfully his relationship with both the American superstars is more than strong enough to survive a ludicrous situation. ‘I know the guys well and believe me, I’ve said a lot worse to Tiger’s face,’ said McIlroy, smiling. After all the consistent golf McIlroy has played this season it was unusual to see him spray the ball with his driver for the first two-thirds of his round. ‘My timing was miles off,’ he said, and perhaps in previous years it might have led to an outward half of 40 shots or so to take him out of the ball game. Here he hung in well for a one under 34. Rory McIlroy reacts after missing a putt on the second hole during first round of the Tour Championship . Over the back nine his round was going nowhere until he rolled in a birdie putt at the 17th and then parred the last. ‘I’m obviously not firing on all cylinders but I think I found something right at the end that will be helpful over the next three days,’ he said. By his side, Watson was equally adventurous. He was three under for ten holes before an ugly double bogey at the 13th set him back. Watson responded brilliantly with three birdies in a row to take the lead on four under before dropping a shot at the last. Emerging American Kirk, whose recent play has been a revelation, underlined his talent once more, as did his playing partner Horschel. Out in the final group, they were so good they never mustered a single bogey between them all day – and will get to partner each other again on Friday. Chris Kirk bites the shaft of his putter after missing a birdie putt on the 18th . Justin Rose was one of the first on the course, and got off to the perfect start when he knocked in a 15ft birdie putt at the first. That, alas, was about as good as it got for the Englishman as he carded five bogeys in an untidy opening round of 72. Rose blamed poor work on the greens for not making an emphatic opening statement. ‘I missed loads of short putts and you can’t do that given the position I am in regarding the FedEx. I felt like I squandered quite a few shots out there,’ he said. Meanwhile, the mystery of how on earth Webb Simpson managed to secure a wild card pick over Kirk simply deepened with his poor round. Mahan was a more understandable pick but it must be worrying for Watson that he’s barely hit a good shot since he was selected. German Martin Kaymer was another Gleneagles-bound player who struggled with a 73 but Sergio Garcia, the other European Ryder Cup player in the field, finished strongly for a 69.
Two young Americans lead tournament and FedEx Cup race .
Rory McIlroy struggles with his driver but holds out for a one-under-par 69 .
Justin Rose hits five bogies in a round of 72 .
By . Derek Lawrenson for the Daily Mail . The two young Americans who lie first and second in the FedEx Cup race and who were overlooked for the US Ryder Cup team just happen to be tied for the lead following the opening round of the Tour Championship on Thursday. Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel both shot 66 while two of captain Tom Watson’s wild cards, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan, lie tied 27th in the 29 man field after rounds of 74. Sparing Watson a sleepless night might have been the fact a quarter of the team who will fly to Gleneagles in ten days are all tied seventh or better. Rory McIlroy hits from behind a tree on the 15th during the first round of the Tour Championship . Leaders after round one: . Billy Horschel -4 . Chris Kirk -4 . Jim Furyk -3 . Bubba Watson -3 . Jason Day -3 . Patrick Reed -3 . Selected others: . Sergio Garcia -1 . Adam Scott -1 . Rickie Fowler -1 . Rory McIlroy -1 . Ever consistent Jim Furyk and Masters champion Bubba Watson both shot 67 while Zach Johnson and Georgia native Matt Kuchar finished with rounds of 68. As for Rory McIlroy, who needs to win this event to claim the $10 million FedEx bonus, he finished well for a 69 and then talked about the Twitter backlash on Wednesday night that left him aghast. There on social media, he was getting abused for purportedly saying that Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods are washed up, and their day had come and gone. Which was, quite frankly, a travesty. Asked a straightforward question at his press conference on Wednesday about the absence of the pair from the Tour Championship for the first time since 1992, McIlroy gave a typically straightforward answer. ‘They’re just getting older,’ he responded. ‘Phil is 43 or whatever he is (he is 44) and Tiger is nearly 40. So they’re getting into the last few holes of their careers.’ Rory McIlroy hits a tee shot on the first hole  during the first round of the Tour Championship . Given Mickelson has been a pro for 23 years and Tiger for 19, it seemed a statement of the obvious, albeit a candid one. Thank goodness McIlroy did not feel the need to backtrack on Twitter. He was just anxious to clear up any misconceptions. ‘Got a question today about Tiger and Phil,’ he tweeted. ‘Gave an honest answer, was very complimentary about the 2 best golfers of this generation….golfers on average have a 20-25 year career, both into the back 9 of their careers….don’t think there is anything wrong with saying that.’ There is not, and thankfully his relationship with both the American superstars is more than strong enough to survive a ludicrous situation. ‘I know the guys well and believe me, I’ve said a lot worse to Tiger’s face,’ said McIlroy, smiling. After all the consistent golf McIlroy has played this season it was unusual to see him spray the ball with his driver for the first two-thirds of his round. ‘My timing was miles off,’ he said, and perhaps in previous years it might have led to an outward half of 40 shots or so to take him out of the ball game. Here he hung in well for a one under 34. Rory McIlroy reacts after missing a putt on the second hole during first round of the Tour Championship . Over the back nine his round was going nowhere until he rolled in a birdie putt at the 17th and then parred the last. ‘I’m obviously not firing on all cylinders but I think I found something right at the end that will be helpful over the next three days,’ he said. By his side, Watson was equally adventurous. He was three under for ten holes before an ugly double bogey at the 13th set him back. Watson responded brilliantly with three birdies in a row to take the lead on four under before dropping a shot at the last. Emerging American Kirk, whose recent play has been a revelation, underlined his talent once more, as did his playing partner Horschel. Out in the final group, they were so good they never mustered a single bogey between them all day – and will get to partner each other again on Friday. Chris Kirk bites the shaft of his putter after missing a birdie putt on the 18th . Justin Rose was one of the first on the course, and got off to the perfect start when he knocked in a 15ft birdie putt at the first. That, alas, was about as good as it got for the Englishman as he carded five bogeys in an untidy opening round of 72. Rose blamed poor work on the greens for not making an emphatic opening statement. ‘I missed loads of short putts and you can’t do that given the position I am in regarding the FedEx. I felt like I squandered quite a few shots out there,’ he said. Meanwhile, the mystery of how on earth Webb Simpson managed to secure a wild card pick over Kirk simply deepened with his poor round. Mahan was a more understandable pick but it must be worrying for Watson that he’s barely hit a good shot since he was selected. German Martin Kaymer was another Gleneagles-bound player who struggled with a 73 but Sergio Garcia, the other European Ryder Cup player in the field, finished strongly for a 69.
young Americans who lie first and second in the FedEx Cup race and who were overlooked for the US careers.’ Rory McIlroy hits a tee shot on the with his driver for the first two-thirds of his strongly for a 69.