Rory McIlroy's pursuit of a seventh major title got off to a rocky start as he opened the US PGA Championship with a bogey, setting the stage for a dramatic week ahead.
The Northern Irishman, fresh off a second consecutive Masters victory last month, is aiming to become just the fifth player since 1960 to win the first two majors of the year. After shaking off pre-tournament toe concerns, McIlroy began his quest from the 10th hole in a star-studded group featuring two-time major champion Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth, who is chasing a career grand slam this week.
McIlroy described Aronimink, which has undergone significant tree removal, as a "bash driver down and then work it out" course. However, his opening drive strayed right, catching a fortunate bounce into the rough on the fairway's edge. From there, he could only advance the ball just over 100 yards toward the hole, and his approach left a 14-foot par putt that slid left. Rahm also dropped a shot at the first, missing the green right and watching his chip shot roll back to his feet.
A victory this week would push McIlroy past Nick Faldo's six-major tally, making him the most successful European golfer of the modern era. The pressure is on, but McIlroy has shown he thrives in big moments.
Meanwhile, former Open champion Cameron Smith made a strong start with birdies at the first and fourth, placing him among the early leaders just two shots behind German Stephan Jaeger. Three-time PGA champion Brooks Koepka also began his campaign alongside 2024 winner Xander Schauffele and England's Tyrrell Hatton.
England's Alex Fitzpatrick was among the first to tee off at 6:45 AM and burst out of the gates with birdies on the first two holes. The 27-year-old is in red-hot form, with wins on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour this season, plus a fourth-place finish at last week's Truist Championship. However, his momentum stalled with a bogey on the fifth after finding one of Aronimink's 174 bunkers.
As the tournament unfolds, all eyes remain on McIlroy as he looks to shake off that early stumble and write another chapter in golf history.