Rory McIlroy club snaps during box-office opening 67 at PGA Championship

In an electrifying start to the PGA Championship at Wentworth, Rory McIlroy showcased a performance that was, to say the least, unpredictable. The Northern Irish golfer faced an array of bizarre moments during his round, including a broken nine-iron and an astonishing backwards putt. He concluded the day with a commendable score of 67, landing him at five under par.

“It was a bit of a rollercoaster, but most of the incidents worked out in my favor, so I’m happy,” McIlroy remarked after finishing his round, reflecting on the ups and downs of his performance.

One of the most memorable moments occurred when McIlroy was hitting his second shot on the 12th hole and, against all odds, the head of his nine-iron flew off down the fairway. Incredibly, the shot landed just eight feet from the hole. “I’ve never had the head of a club come off during a shot before,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’ve certainly broken a few clubs after a shot, but this was a first. Luckily, it didn’t affect my swing too much.”

After retrieving the wayward club head, McIlroy continued to play on, acknowledging that transitioning from the heat of the American playoffs to the cooler conditions in Wentworth may have played a role in the unusual incident. “I looked up and saw the club head, completely losing sight of the ball. I was just glad it wound up close to the pin,” he added.

Beyond the nine-iron incident, McIlroy faced further challenges throughout the round, including a quirky backwards putt on the 8th hole and a missed short par putt on the 7th. Nevertheless, he managed to score five birdies on the front nine, eventually finishing strong despite a slight setback with a bogey on the last hole. It’s noteworthy that he played through the effects of a virus but maintained a positive outlook on his game. “Maybe it could have been a little better, but it was a solid start. I would have taken five under at the start of the day,” he expressed.

McIlroy’s score placed him in a tight race with fellow competitors Shane Lowry and Robert MacIntyre, who also finished at five under par. Lowry commended McIlroy’s performance, saying, “Rory is obviously playing great golf. It’s not a surprise to see him near the top of the leaderboard today.” Meanwhile, MacIntyre captured the audience’s attention with a daring second shot from the fairway on the 17th hole, displaying his own remarkable skills.

Past champion Danny Willett opened up about his challenges returning from shoulder surgery but found hope in finishing with a 68. “It’s tougher than I thought,” Willett admitted. “But I feel like I’m building back up to a better overall game. Things are coming together, and I’m starting to feel more confident.”

Leading the pack after the first round was Matthew Baldwin, who impressively shot a flawless 65 in tough afternoon conditions. With this remarkable performance, Baldwin set the benchmark at seven under par, closely followed by Niklas Norgaard at six under. As the tournament unfolds, all eyes will undoubtedly be on McIlroy and his thrilling journey ahead.