RORY RIPS IT UP
McIlroy off to a flier in US PGA as Tiger toils
RORY McILROY finally found the fast start he has been craving in a major to leave playing partner Tiger Woods trailing in his wake in the 104th US PGA Championship yesterday. Since winning the last of his four majors in the 2014 US PGA, McIlroy had been a combined 35 over par in the first round of golf’s four biggest tournaments, his latest effort being a one-overpar 73 in April’s Masters. But yesterday, perhaps inspired by being grouped with Woods and Jordan Spieth, McIlroy (left) carded seven birdies and two bogeys in an opening round of 65 to set the clubhouse target on five under par. Woods had played his first five holes in two under but struggled from then on and admitted his right leg — which he feared would have to be amputated following last year’s car crash — was not ‘feeling as good as I would like’. The 46-year-old eventually signed for a four-over-par 74, with Spieth returning a 72. ‘It was a great start,’ said a thrilled McIlroy.
SOUTHERN HILLS brought southern comfort for Rory McIlroy yesterday as he ended his first-round problems in majors in spectacular style at the 104th PGA Championship. Drawing on the inspiration that followed his wonderful final-round 64 at the Masters, the Northern Irishman totally outplayed his illustrious playing partners Tiger Woods — clearly struggling with his right leg — and Jordan Spieth with a sparkling 65 for a one-shot lead among the morning wave.
It was McIlroy’s lowest opening round in a major since he began with a 65 on his way to a runaway victory in the 2011 US Open at Congressional
in Maryland, and it might have been better still given that he dropped two shots in his last four holes.
But a fine birdie at his 18th hole, the ninth on the course, meant his score was a fairer reflection of his play, which was majestic for much of the round. Was this really the same player who, since his last major victory in this event in 2014, has delivered such opening round stinkers as a 78 at the 2019 Open at Portrush and a 76 at the Masters last year?
In 27 opening rounds in majors from 2015, McIlroy was a dismal 35 over par coming into this event, with less than one in five such rounds completed in the 60s.
What a way to demolish such a woeful statistic. He said after Augusta that he thought his final round would give him momentum going forward and here was a vivid illustration.
McIlroy looked a man at ease, swinging beautifully and mentally freed up, with his only mistakes coming at two brutal par threes, the 6th and the 8th, where he was hardly alone in notching bogeys. Spieth looked average by comparison, his hopes of a career Grand Slam taking a hit with a mediocre 72.
Poor Woods looked old, his gait a stark contrast to the bouncing stride of McIlroy, who outdrove him by 100 yards on occasion.
No shame in that, given all that Tiger has been through, but if he’s serious about only playing in majors if he thinks he can win them, one look at McIlroy must have left him wondering if the game is finally up. Woods shot 74.
Then there was his physical state. Over the closing holes of a round that stretched beyond five hours, the 46-year-old was clearly wincing after his tee shots.
It was a sight that was at depressing odds with his belief before the tournament that the right leg that has suffered so much punishment will only get stronger.
“Woods looked
old alongside the bouncing McIlroy”
Could he call it quits at the 150th Open at St Andrews in July?
It has long been one of the marvels of the modern game how far McIlroy hits the ball with his modest frame and a measure of how well he is striking it this season is that he has actually added length off the tee.
The par-five fifth was a classic case in point. Without any wind assistance, his drive travelled 379 yards. Spieth and Woods could only look on with envy.
What was most encouraging, though, was the improvement in the two areas of the game that have given McIlroy fits in recent years — distance control with his short irons and his putting.
Both were wonderfully in tune, as he not only holed his share of birdie putts but also three vital 10-footers for pars.
All this took place before a vast gallery of spectators, as a considerable majority among the sellout crowd all chose one group as a way of getting to know this marvellous course following its restoration.
Starting from the 10th, the thrills came very early regarding Woods, as he played a deftly-controlled approach to three feet and then rolled in the birdie putt. At the par-three 14th he moved to two under with a 20-foot putt and the many thousands who had got up early for the 8-10am starts were thankful that they had done so. Even at that stage Woods, who has won the PGA four times, was moving gingerly in his first appearance since the Masters in April. The ‘stinger’ tee shots with a long iron that he could hit down the middle in his sleep during his prime all headed right, as he struggled to transfer weight from his right leg and swing freely though the ball. His lack of competitive edge became clear with a series of poor bunker shots. He would run
up no fewer than seven bogeys in all and, before he faces a battle today to make the halfway cut, he will have to get that right leg in some sort of shape in order to complete another 18 holes.
Will Zalatoris grew up playing golf in Dallas alongside Spieth and this year’s Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and he is every bit as good as them in terms of ball striking.
The only reason that the 25-yearold is still waiting for his first win is due to his erratic putting, but everything was in sync here as he holed a long one at his final hole to finish one shot behind McIlroy.
Alongside him is 32-year-old fellow American Tom Hoge, who won the Pebble Beach pro-am in January. Gritty Mexican Abraham Ancer shot 67 as did veteran Matt Kuchar.
Scotsman Bob MacIntyre opened with a useful level-par round of 70, while Englishman Tyrrell Hatton finished on the same score in some style, holing a pitch shot on his closing hole, the 9th.
Former world number one Justin Thomas began with two birdies in the first five holes, with club professional Jesse Mueller also two under after starting by holing out for an eagle on the 10th.