Rory McIlroy’s opening round at the PGA Championship did not live up to expectations, and it has left him in a difficult position.
McIlroy finally won The Masters and completed the career Grand Slam last month, which means he will no longer be under such pressure at the majors.
Besides his world-class ability, that’s why so many people predicted him to contend at the PGA Championship this week.
While all hope is not lost, he will struggle to do that now after a poor first-round performance at Quail Hollow.
Former European Tour golfer Paul McGinley thinks McIlroy had something going against him on Thursday.
Paul McGinley thinks Rory McIlroy was disadvantaged by superstar group
McIlroy played in a star-studded group with Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele on Thursday morning at the PGA Championship.
Some would argue this is beneficial because you can keep an eye on your opponents, and others would say it’s a distraction.
But what people hadn’t considered before the round was that the pace of play would be an issue for McIlroy, who takes considerably less time over his shots than Scheffler and Schauffele.
“I don’t think [it helps],” McGinley said on commentary for Sky Sports. “I think more so for Rory than the other two. The other two are quite slow. They were on the clock a lot.
“This three-ball played together at the TPC. They were on the clock quite a lot because they’d drawn all the crowds. Scheffler and Xander are not particularly quick.
“Rory is one of the fastest players in the game, so I don’t think it really suits him. But, you know, it’s made for TV, isn’t it? The PGA Championship has done this a number of times before.
“But it’s something you’ve got to deal with. And I don’t think that was the reason Rory didn’t play well today. I think the reset was a very difficult thing after all the emotion of the last month.”
McIlroy finished his round three over par and has work to do on Friday to make the weekend.
What happened to Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele on 16th hole
McIlroy, Scheffler, and Schauffele all made double bogey on the 16th hole at Quail Hollow on Thursday morning.
McIlroy’s first mistake was an errant tee shot into the rough. He then slipped while hitting his second shot and had to take another shot to get up to the green.
He sailed his par putt past the hole and also missed his bogey attempt, leaving him an unfortunate double bogey on the statistically hardest hole.
Scheffler and Schauffele were both unlucky to have mud on their respective balls before their approach shots. Neither had any control over their iron shots and found the water next to the green.
The American duo had to take drop shots and failed to get up-and-down for a bogey, walking away with sixes as well.
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