Turmoil and tumult often follows Rory McIlroy, but talk that his impending divorce from Erica Stoll could hamper his PGA Championship ambitions was nonsense and he proved that with an opening 66 at Valhalla.
Four birdies on his back nine, including three in a row saw McIlroy rocket into a share of fourth place on five-under-par, four shots behind Xander Schauffele early on day one as he looks to end a near ten-year wait for a fifth major title at the site of his fourth win in 2014.
While the late fireworks will grab the headlines, the four-time major winner was largely scrappy on Thursday, picking up birdies on 10 and 13. But having bogeyed the 17th (his 8th), he made a superb par on 18 having found the water off the tee and he took advantage of that with a birdie on the first after rattling the flagstick from the right rough which kickstarted his run.
“I sort of felt like it was pretty scrappy for the most part. I don’t really feel like I left many out there. I thought I got a lot out of my game today. Some good up-and-downs, the chip-in on 6,” said McIlroy.
“I had a little bit of a scrappy part around the turn there, but overall really happy with — not really happy with how I played but at least happy with the score.”
McIlroy felt the heroic par on 18, where he got up and down from 99 yards, was a turning point in his momentum in the round.
“I was pretty sure it was in the water off the tee, and then when I got up there, I guess the two ball-spotters or marshals said they didn’t really see it or couldn’t really hear it. I went over to the other side just to check, but was pretty sure it was in the water.
“Yeah, dropped and took my medicine, and yeah, made a great up-and-down from about 120 yards to make par, which was important after making bogey on 17. That kept any momentum that I had going into the next nine.
“I could have easily bogeyed 18 and been back to even par, and then again, that ball on 1 could have hit the flagstick and went anywhere. I could have made bogey from that. Potentially being 1-over par through 10, I’m 2-under. So it’s a three-shot difference. It’s a big swing.”
Good wedge shots was the theme of the round with McIlroy teeing up birdies with the scoring clubs on the 10th, 13th, 5th and 7th as his work with Butch Harmon continues to show positive results.
“I think just the same feelings I’ve been having with my golf swing, feeling strength in the club face on the way back, and then trying to keep that strength so that it forces me to really get out of the way on the down swing. That’s the thought with the wedges and with the irons.”
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