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Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods both lost their opening rounds at the inaugural World Golf Final.

World number one McIlroy was beaten by the American Matt Kuchar by six shots in the first of his Group One games.

The 14-time major winner Woods, in the same group as McIlroy at the eight-man event, lost to 2011 US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

McIlroy said: "I now need to win both matches tomorrow to advance. I just struggled for a bit of motivation."

The Northern Irishman, who had a disastrous end to his round of 76, finishing the last four holes seven-over-par, added: "I hit my drive into the trees on 15 and lost a bit of confidence."

It was McIlroy's first competitive tournament since Europe's Ryder Cup comeback at Medinah.

American Woods began his round against Schwartzel with an opening birdie but then wavered and triple-bogeyed after finding water off the tee.

He eventually levelled with the South African, only to bogey again to card a round of 70 to Schwartzel's 69.

The 36 year-old said: "It came right down to the wire but I can't believe how far that second shot flew into the back bunker."

Woods and McIlroy are set to play each other on Wednesday in the last of their group matches, but both could already be eliminated by then.

In Group Two, McIlroy's Ryder Cup team-mates Lee Westwood and Justin Rose won their respective matches beating US Open champion Webb Simpson and fellow American Hunter Mahan respectively.

The leading two in each group progress through to the semi-finals on Thursday, with the final on Friday.