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Rory McIlroy struggled as David Drysdale and Peter Lawrie outshone the world's top three on day one of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

World number one McIlroy, 23, carded a two-over 74 and could also face punishment after throwing a club.

Scot Drysdale and Ireland's Lawrie shot rounds of 66 to lead by one from a group including England's Justin Rose and Wales' Jamie Donaldson.

Second-ranked Luke Donald shot 68 as world number three Lee Westwood had 70.

Graeme McDowell was also caught up in controversy after he was penalised two shots on the 18th after television replays showed his ball had moved and he did not replace it. The former US Open champion ended alongside fellow Northern Irishman McIlroy on two over.

Drysdale, the world number 291, enjoyed some luck at the 18th when his approach found the water before bouncing out, allowing him to record his seventh birdie of the day.

"You could hit 1,000 balls and never have it happen," said the 37-year-old, who dropped only one shot on day one, at the 13th.

"I don't know what it hit - maybe a fish. It was a massive break. I don't think I can say what I would have thought if I had taken six or seven there."

Dubliner Lawrie, who was also the joint leader after the first round in the 2006 tournament, is currently ranked 212th but made a superb start, with an eagle at the fourth and birdies at the second, fifth and sixth.

World number 10 Rose, who dropped only one shot, revealed he had suffered a balance problem during the morning.

"I was nearly falling over, my whole morning routine was way off, I was sitting in the doctor's chair for about an hour, but he gave me an anti-nausea kind of tablet and I felt fine all the way round which was a pleasant surprise," said the 31-year-old, who missed the cut in this tournament last year but won the WGC Cadillac event in Florida in March.

McIlroy, who missed the cut at the Players Championship two weeks ago, mixed an eagle and three birdies with a double bogey and five bogeys.

The US Open champion, who began last year's event with a 76 but recovered to finish in a tie for 24th, put his approach at the 12th out of bounds and after hitting a wayward shot with his provisional ball, angrily hurled his club to the ground.

"It was a bit of deja vu from last year," he said. "I was two-under through seven holes and feeling like I was playing well. But then I made four bogeys in five holes so it's pretty disappointing. I feel like I am playing well, I just need to go out there and shoot the score."

Tournament director David Garland issued a statement regarding the McIlroy club throwing incident and said: "I have not yet had the chance to view the incident, but I will be requesting a tape.

"If any breach of the Tour's guidelines on course etiquette is found, then appropriate action will be taken in due course."

Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington took three shots to escape from a bunker at the short second and was four over after two holes, finishing with a 76, while Paul Casey ended with a 78 as he continues to recover from a dislocated shoulder.