With the PGA Championship just one week away, Rory McIlroy sent a mixed message about his game during the opening round of the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow. The 37-year-old Northern Irishman clearly didn't have his 'A' game on Thursday, struggling to find any rhythm throughout the day.

It's worth noting that McIlroy was playing his first event since winning The Masters for the second consecutive time back in April, so a bit of rust was to be expected. But Quail Hollow has always been a special place for him—it's where he captured his first PGA Tour win back in 2010, when the event was still called the Wells Fargo Championship. Given that history, his opening round score of 70 came as something of a surprise.

In an incredible display of consistency—or perhaps frustration—McIlroy made 18 pars during his first round. He was on track to card the first bogey-free, birdie-free round of his career before finally sinking a birdie on the 18th hole. It was a grind, but one that might pay dividends as he heads to Aronimink next week in search of his seventh major championship victory.

After the round, McIlroy remained philosophical about his performance. "I felt like I hit the ball well and hit enough good shots to be a little better than what I was, but I got three more days to try to catch up to everyone," he said. When asked about his putting struggles, he added: "I wasn't frustrated. I was hitting good putts. Some days they just don't want to go in... I was just trying to stay patient because I felt like I was hitting good putts, I over-read a couple on the front side, then I under-read a couple as a reaction to the over-reads. It was more of a read thing than anything else. I started the ball on my line and hit good putts. I just needed to figure out the reads a little bit better. But I felt like I got into it by the end of the round."

For golf fans and apparel enthusiasts alike, McIlroy's opening round at Quail Hollow serves as a reminder that even the best players have off days. But with a major championship on the horizon, expect him to be much sharper when it matters most at Aronimink next week.