Tiger Woods suffered enough without being seen from the front row as Rory McIlroy raced to the top of the 104th US PGA Championship. As McIlroy rolled back the years – 65 is the Northern Irish’s best start to a Major since the 2011 US Open, which he easily won – Woods somberly recalled the extent of his ongoing physical struggles.
Woods, who competed in only his second event since his right leg was crushed in a car accident in February last year, did indeed open brightly in Southern Hills. He fucked the 10th hole, his 1st, and was two under par after five. But when Woods limped heavily towards media duties after the round, he had signed for a 74 and was clearly in pain.
“My leg doesn’t feel as good as I would like,” he said. “We will start the recovery process and take care of it tomorrow. I just can’t load it. Loading hurts, triggering hurts, walking hurts and twisting hurts. It’s only golf. If I don’t play that, then I’m fine.”
Which seems like a pretty big problem considering Woods is so closely associated with the sport. This is early in Wood’s recent comeback process, but there may be a time in the not-too-distant future when he wonders if his body can handle golf at the highest level.
The 15-time major champion added, “I didn’t hit a lot of good iron shots. I rode it well, but my iron shots weren’t very good. I didn’t get the ball very close. I had a great start and couldn’t keep it up. I really wasn’t looking for Birdie. I struggled to get the ball onto the green and missed quite a few iron shots in both directions. It was a frustrating day.”
There was a time when McIlroy would have been intimidated by a large partnership with his idol. On a gusty first lap in Tulsa, McIlroy took it all.
Tiger Woods admitted his leg was causing him discomfort after posting a 74 score over four. Photo: Michael Madrid/USA Today SportsHe had hit six under par through 14 holes. Bogeys in McIlroy’s 15th and 17th places threatened to change the face of a terrific round. The winner of this tournament in 2012 and 2014 last switched from 19 feet to ensure a working day under five. That felt important; McIlroy is now getting the fast start in a major he’s been chasing for so long. He leads the Americans Will Zalatoris and Tom Hoge by one. Mexico’s Matt Kuchar and Abraham Ancer sit at minus three. So did Justin Thomas after a strong afternoon from the 2017 champion.
“It’s a great start, but I’m not making any progress,” said McIlroy. “I could have easily hit 68 or 69 today and not led, but if I had played the same golf I would still have been as positive about it as I am now.
“I hit some great tee shots, some great iron shots and holed some nice putts. I did pretty much everything you need to do out there today. I have to keep doing that for the next three days if I want to have a chance of winning.”
The third member of the event’s marquee group, Jordan Spieth, looked flustered as he made his way to a ’72. His dreams of completing a career grand slam here remain alive, but only just.
quick start Guide
How do I sign up for breaking sports news notifications?
Demonstrate
- Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhones or the Google Play Store on Android phones by searching for ‘The Guardian’.
- If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re using the latest version.
- In the Guardian app, tap the yellow button in the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.
- Turn on sports notifications.
Thanks for your feedback.
The winner of that 1991 tournament, John Daly, was outstanding with a cart ranking 2 under but bogeyed four of the last five holes in 72nd place. The 56-year-old was reluctant to discuss his round.
Cameron Smith’s 68 was impressive as it included a double bogey and three bogeys. “My game felt really good, the scorecard said something different at times,” said the Australian.
Scotsman Robert MacIntyre, who was attempting to make nine out of nine cuts at majors, started with a 70. World No. 1 and Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler is a step behind MacIntyre.
Lee Westwood’s 75 has been marred by reports that his longtime sponsor UPS has ended its association with the Englishman over his desire to be part of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series. LIV’s Chief Commercial Officer Sean Bratches is believed to have resigned. On a day when McIlroy was showing golf at its best, those marks of a conscience were equally endearing.