Theegala-Zalatoris team placed T-29th after opening round of PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Indian-American golfer Sahith Theegala and his partner Will Zalatoris returned a blemish-free card of seven-under 65 in the opening round to lay tied 29th in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament, which is the PGA Tour's only team event.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry shot an 11-under 61 in four-ball play for a share of the first-round lead.

The New Orleans is the only time that players play together as a team on the Tour, as opposed to only individual events through the season.

The Irish duo shared the lead with the teams of Ryan Brehm-Mark Hubbard, Ben Kohles-Patton Kizzire and Aaron Rai-David Lipsky.

Theegala and Zalatoris struck seven birdies, four on the back-nine, in a good start.

Davis Thompson-Andrew Novak, Thomas Detry-Robert MacIntyre and Cameron Champ-M.J. Daffue were at 62. Twenty teams were nine-under or better on a crowded leaderboard at TPC Louisiana.

McIlroy had the team's first three birdies, although on the par-five second Lowry was inches away but watched as his teammate putted from about four feet.

After a pair of pars, they birdied four of the next six holes before closing out with a birdie on the par-five 18th to gain a share of the lead.

Brehm and Hubbard mirrored McIlroy and Lowry with four opening birdies. The team made the turn in six-under 30 and found birdies on holes 10 and 11, 16, 17 and 18.

Russ Cochran, the oldest player in the field at 65, made his first PGA Tour start since 2013, teaming with Eric Cole for a 69 that left them tied for 73rd. Cochran's son, Reed, is his caddie. Cole had a hole-in-one on No. 14. PTI Cor PM PM PM