Rory McIlroy got the dream start that has eluded him at recent majors to grab the first-round lead at the PGA Championship on Thursday, outshining the two other members of his 'super group' Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth.
While Woods (74) and Spieth (72) laboured, McIlroy made it look all too easy at Southern Hills Country Club by carding a five-under 65, his best opening round at a major since the 2011 US Open.
That was good enough for a one-stroke advantage over Will Zalatoris and Tom Hoge, with Matt Kuchar, Justin Thomas and Mexico's Abraham Ancer returning 67s to sit two adrift.
Starting on the back nine, McIlroy's day featured a stretch of four straight birdies from the 12th, his longest such run at a major, then added two more after the turn before picking up bogeys at six and eight. But McIlroy would make sure the round would end on an upbeat note by rolling in an 19-footer for birdie at the last.
Looking to end an eight-year major drought, McIlroy arrived in Tulsa in superb form having recorded top-five finishes at his last two events, including a runner-up result at the Masters where he closed with sizzling final round of 64.
His score on Thursday makes him the first player to shoot 65 or better in the final round of one major and 65 or better in the first round of the next.
"I've been playing well coming in here," said McIlroy, twice winner of the PGA Championship. "I've been carrying some good form.
"I think when your game is feeling like that, it's just a matter of going out there and really sticking to your game plan, executing as well as you possibly can, and just sort of staying in your own little world." Agencies
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