Two under par through his first seven holes, and having started on the back nine at Valhalla Golf Club, Rory McIlroy dropped a shot at the par-4 17th and then hit his tee shot into the watch on the par-5 18th.
McIlroy, however, saved par, getting up and down from 114 yards.
After turning in 1-under 35 in the opening round of the 106th PGA Championship, McIlroy again missed the fairway at the par-4 first. With his ball above his feet and in the thick rough, McIlroy choked down on his iron and slashed out from 165 yards. His ball clanked off the flagstick on the fly and came to rest 6 feet from the hole.
HOW DID THIS NOT GO IN!? 😱
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2024
Rory McIlroy is pin hunting! #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/At8fOqxTFS
McIlroy made the birdie putt to get back to 2 under, four back at the time, of leader Xander Schauffele.