Rory McIlroy got off to fast start, while Tiger Woods faltered late and appeared to favor his injured leg during the first round of PGA Championship. Highlights from Thursday's action here.
After bogeying No. 18th before making the turn to the front 9, Woods made it three in a row, adding a stroke on each of No. 1 and No. 2. It was a problem of misplaced tee shots that landed in bunkers, and then poor shots to get out of them.
Yet Woods stopped the bleeding, and gained a stroke on the par-4 No. 3 to climb back to 1-over par, which was six shots behind his playing partner and current leader, Rory McIlroy, at 5-under par.Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of his first major victory since 2014 is off to a big start in the opening holes of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills. The Northern Irishman had a run of four consecutive birdies that earned him a spot at the top of the leaderboard at 4 under after nine holes. Playing with Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth in the featured group of the first round, McIlroy birdied holes Nos. 12-15. The group started on No. 10. McIlroy is seeking his fifth major championship. He won the PGA in 2012 and 2014. He hasn’t led a round of a major championship since that 2014 victory.Woods had an excellent opportunity for a birdie on 16, leaving his approach shot 20 yards from the hole, but his putt went past the hole, and he was able to save par. On 17, Woods went over two bunkers and another birdie chance passed him by as his opportunity to close the gap on McIlroy missed the left cup for a tap-in par, leaving him three shots behind the leader. Woods had to wait nearly eight minutes to tee off on 18 and drove his tee shot on the par 4 on hole about 323 yards, which landed near the creek and about 160 yards from the pin. He had to settle for a bogey and is back at even par. Of the first 21 golfers to play the 18th on Thursday, only one managed to birdie the hole. Woods is through 9.Tiger Woods had a rough start on No. 15, which is a par 4, 405-yard hole. His tee shot hit the rough and he struggled to gain his footing from there as he ended up bogeying the hole to drop to 1-under par. After two straight pars to begin his round, Rory McIlroy birdied four straight holes and currently has a one-shot lead over Max Homa, Will Zalatoris and Justin Rose, with John Daly close behind a 2-under.Woods has won at Southern Hills Country Club, taking home the Wanamaker Trophy in 2007. Woods seeking his fifth PGA Championship. He started off at the back nine at No. 10 with Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth. Woods birdied the first hole to get off to a fast start. In Woods' last appearance at Southern Hills, he also birdied the 10th hole to start the tournament. TULSA, Okla. – Tuesday’s Champions Dinner at the PGA Championship was light on past winners of the Wanamaker Trophy. Just over 10 PGA champs attended the dinner in the main clubhouse of Southern Hills Country Club, home this week to the 104th PGA Championship.“Phil was not missed,” said Dave Stockton, who won the PGA Championship in 1970 and 1976. “I think Phil would have been a big distraction. The story here this week is the PGA.” Mickelson would have hosted the dinner after becoming the oldest major champion last year when he won the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island two months shy of turning 51. Mickelson elected not to defend his title this year as he extended his self-imposed hiatus from the game following disparaging remarks of the PGA Tour and the oppressive Saudi Arabia regime, which is financially backing Greg Norman’s rival LIV Golf Investments.
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