TULSA, OK (SNN-TV) – Today marked the first round of the 104th PGA Championship in Tulsa, and a familiar face finished atop the leader board.
Rory McIlroy looked free and easy and saw only opportunity at Southern Hills. He blasted his driver over trees and into fairways, setting up some of his seven birdies that carried him to a 5-under 65 and an early one-shot lead.
It was just what McIlroy needed as he tries to end nearly eight years without a major, many of those chances doomed by bad starts. This was his lowest start to par since a 5-under 66 when he won the PGA at Valhalla in 2014, the last of his four majors.
McIlroy spoke to getting into a groove early in today’s round. “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. I did that really well today. It was nice to get off to that good start and sorta keep it going.”
Will Zalatoris and Pebble Beach winner Tom Hoge each opened with a 66, while Matt Kuchar and Abraham Ancer were another shot behind.