Rory McIlroy DRIVES INTO WATER with first shot at US PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy got off to a difficult start on day one of the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island by finding the water with his opening tee shot.

McIlroy, teeing off from the par-4 10th hole, unleashed his drive but immediately took his right hand off the club as his ball sprayed way right into the water.

"Goodness me, that's not ideal!"

Rory McIlroy's opening tee shot was one to forget at the #PGAChamp! pic.twitter.com/LG1hMjRJeX

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 20, 2021

The four-time major champion, who won the first of his two US PGA titles with a blistering eight-shot victory at Kiawah Island in 2012, then took his drop in the fairway bunker and despite finding more sand with his third shot, McIlroy managed to salvage a bogey-five with a superb up-and-down. 

Incredibly, McIlroy has played the opening hole of the last nine majors in a combined 8-over par.

Despite his bogey start, McIlroy has since responded with two consecutive birdies to move to 1-under par thru three holes. 

Brooks Koepka, playing alongside McIlroy and Justin Thomas for the opening two rounds, suffered an even worse start with a double-bogey six after finding a tricky lie in the bunker with his tee shot. 

Thomas opened with a par following an impressive up-and-down from the back bunker. 

Hundreds of golf fans were quick to react to McIlroy's messy start on Twitter. 

Check out some of the tweets below: 

Rory McIlroy. Day 1 of a major. Seems about right.... https://t.co/SUXU99aaf2

— Ryan Crombie (@Ryan_Crombie) May 20, 2021

Rory McIlroy has played the opening hole of the last nine Majors at a combined +8:

21 PGA - Bogey
21 Masters - Par
20 Masters - Bogey
20 US Open - Bogey
20 PGA - Birdie
19 Open - Quadruple Bogey
19 US Open - Par
19 PGA - Bogey
19 Masters - Bogey https://t.co/S9mfqXuidd

— Rick Gehman (@RickRunGood) May 20, 2021

Rory McIlroy is always so confident before the Majors and then hits it into the water off the first tee

— OvoBruno (@RamizEssack) May 20, 2021

Rory McIlroy, as usual, giving the field a few strokes’ head start

— Jay Busbee (@jaybusbee) May 20, 2021