McIlroy shoots 63 for a three-stroke lead

Teenager Rory McIlroy snapped out of a slump Thursday by shooting an 8-under 63 in the first round of the European Masters.

The 19-year-old Northern Irishman had missed halfway cuts the last three weeks.

"You get days when you read the lines perfectly and you know every putt is going in," McIlroy said. "It was like that today."

Garry Houston (66) chipped in for a birdie on the 18th hole for a share of second place with Kyron Sullivan and Julio Zapata. A large group at 67 included defending champion Brett Rumford, who birdied the first three holes.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, the only member of the European Ryder Cup team …