ORLANDO, Fla. — The leading two players at Bay Hill are no surprise, even if they have next to nothing in common.

Rory McIlroy, who hasn’t finished out of the top 10 in any tournament since September, shot a 6-under 66 on Thursday morning in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.

Matt Every, whose only two PGA TOUR victories in 237 starts were back-to-back at Bay Hill, played in the tough afternoon wind and was one shot better with a 65.

Not only was it Every’s lowest round at Bay Hill, it was 20 shots better than his last round six days ago in The Honda Classic, when he shot 85.

What a game.

Every played bogey-free and put on a clinic with his irons, the strength of his game. He poured it on his back nine with birdie putts of 35, 45 and 30 feet.

“I just didn’t want to shoot myself out of the tournament with the way the weather was,” Every said. “The putter was a little shaky. It’s always a little shaky. It was a good day for me.”

It wasn’t bad for McIlroy.

He avoided a big number early and delivered his best shot late for the best score among the early starters, when the wind only started to get strong at the end.

McIlroy had his sixth consecutive opening round of 68 or lower, another great start. It just didn’t feel that way early.

Trying to hammer an 8-iron to a back flag on his second hole of the day at No. 11, the ball landed short and left of the green and rolled into the water. He took a penalty drop, hit a pedestrian chip and escaped with a bogey by making a 10-foot putt.

“To hole that putt for bogey … making 5 instead of 6 there is a big deal,” McIlroy said. “One over through 2 instead of 2 over is sort of a different feeling. And to turn that nine around and turn in under, I felt pretty good about myself going to the front nine.”

He made three birdies and an eagle — a 3-iron from a fairway bunker to 25 feet — and was most satisfied by taking advantage of easier scoring conditions.

“I just didn’t want to shoot myself out of the tournament with the way the weather was,” Every said. “The putter was a little shaky. It’s always a little shaky. It was a good day for me.”

It wasn’t bad for McIlroy.

He avoided a big number early and delivered his best shot late for the best score among the early starters, when the wind only started to get strong at the end.

McIlroy had his sixth consecutive opening round of 68 or lower, another great start. It just didn’t feel that way early.

Trying to hammer an 8-iron to a back flag on his second hole of the day at No. 11, the ball landed short and left of the green and rolled into the water. He took a penalty drop, hit a pedestrian chip and escaped with a bogey by making a 10-foot putt.

“To hole that putt for bogey … making 5 instead of 6 there is a big deal,” McIlroy said. “One over through 2 instead of 2 over is sort of a different feeling. And to turn that nine around and turn in under, I felt pretty good about myself going to the front nine.”

He made three birdies and an eagle — a 3-iron from a fairway bunker to 25 feet — and was most satisfied by taking advantage of easier scoring conditions.