McIlroy shares lead at Hero World Challenge with Berger and Ancer after first round
Four-time major winner McIlroy is playing the 20-man invitational event at the Albany resort in the Bahamas for the first time since 2013. Americans Webb Simpson, Brooks Koepka, and Justin Thomas share fourth on five under.
Thomas lost the lead after stumbling to a closing double bogey.
The event, featuring 17 of the world's top 25 golfers, was not contested last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
World number eight McIlroy birdied three of the first five holes but then suffered the setback of a double-bogey at the ninth.
The 32-year-old Northern Irishman began the back nine with back-to-back birdies and added an eagle at the par-four 14th.
McIlroy followed with a birdie at the par-five 15th and parred in from there.
"I was proud of myself after that double bogey. I played the back nine five-under. That was a good response to that little setback," McIlroy said.
"I played the par-fives at par. That's not good enough to win out here. I can't rely upon doing what I did today over the next three days."
McIlroy, who has bounced back after a disappointing performance in Europe's Ryder Cup loss to the United States in September, seeks his third victory of the year after PGA titles at Quail Hollow in May and the CJ Cup in suburban Las Vegas in October.
"I set my standards a little higher than that, but I think I turned a corner after the Ryder Cup," McIlroy said.
"My game today has been a continuation of how I've felt. I left a few out there today. Overall. The game is feeling a lot better.
Berger, playing his first event in 88 days since the 2020-21 season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta in September, opened with four birdies and added another at the seventh.
Ranked 17th, Berger eagled the par-five 11th but took a bogey at the par-three 12th before answering with a birdie at the par-five 15th. A botched chip at 18 led to a closing bogey.
"It's a great field, and when you show up here, you want to win," Berger said. "A little rusty, haven't played in a while, but I did pretty well."
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