Rory McIlroy appears robust after his Thursday spherical on the 2024 PGA Championship. McIlroy, who gained this occasion in 2012 and 2014, fired a 5-under 66 to take a seat 4 behind chief Xander Schauffele on day one.
He performed a stable spherical of golf, accumulating six birdies and one bogey. The momentum he picked up along with his win in Charlotte final week adopted him to Valhalla. His opening spherical seemed nice on the scorecard, however there’s nonetheless room for enchancment.
“I felt prefer it was fairly scrappy for essentially the most half. I don’t really feel like I left many on the market,” McIlroy stated.
“I believed I bought lots out of my recreation right this moment. Some good up-and-downs, the chip-in on 6. I had just a little little bit of a scrappy half across the flip there, however general actually pleased with—not pleased with how I performed, however at the very least pleased with the rating.”
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Photograph by David Cannon/Getty Photos
He at present leads the sphere in strokes gained across the inexperienced, selecting up 2.567 photographs. McIlroy hit a number of robust wedge photographs that put him in good positions to make birdies.
Nevertheless, off the tee, he ranks 134th in strokes gained. He misplaced photographs within the one space that’s often his robust swimsuit. Final week, the 35-year-old placed on a clinic along with his driver, however he solely hit 7-of-14 fairways throughout Thursday’s first spherical.
McIlroy began his day with a birdie on the par-5 tenth, his first gap. He moved to 2-under on the par-4 thirteenth.
The 26-time PGA Tour winner then dropped a shot at 17, bringing him again to 1-under for the spherical.
However he virtually made one other bogey on the par-5 18th, traditionally the best gap on the course.
McIlroy hit his tee shot into the water that sits to the precise of the golf green. He then took a drop and hit his third shot to 112 yards out. Then, his fourth shot left him with a 7-footer for par, doubtless his most essential shot of the day.
“Made an excellent up-and-down from about 120 yards to make par, which was essential after making bogey on 17,” he stated.
“That saved any momentum I had going into the following 9. It was large. I might have simply bogeyed 18 and been again to even par.”
Fortunately for McIlroy, he turned with a 1-under 35 and headed to the entrance 9 hoping to make the most of Valhalla’s tender circumstances.
He instantly did so on the par-4 1st, as his method shot nailed the flagstick and landed subsequent to the opening.
“That ball on one might have hit the flagstick and went anyplace,” McIlroy stated.
“I might have made bogey from that. Probably being 1-over par by way of 10, [instead] I’m 2-under. So it’s a three-shot distinction. It’s an enormous swing.”
These moments hold gamers within the hunt whereas additionally sustaining momentum.
McIlroy made three extra birdies on the fifth, sixth, and sixth holes, with the one at six being a chip-in from off the inexperienced.
Loads of gamers, together with McIlroy, have taken benefit of the benign circumstances.
“Greens are actually tender, particularly for the fellows that performed final week at Quail Hole, the place the greens have been notably agency,” he stated.
“You come to greens like this, second photographs are simpler. Chip photographs are simpler in case you do miss the greens. The distinction between final week in Charlotte and this week is an enormous distinction, and I believe for the fellows that performed final week. It’s rather less difficult on the minute across the greens.”
Total, it was a scrappy day for the two-time PGA Champion, however he has loads of momentum heading into day two.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By. For extra golf protection, remember to observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You too can observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
