
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!"
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 20, 2021
Rory McIlroy's opening tee shot was one to forget at the #PGAChamp! pic.twitter.com/LG1hMjRJeX
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:
— Rick Gehman (@RickRunGood) May 20, 2021
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
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