McIlroy Struggles with Driving Woes in PGA Championship Opening Round

World number two Rory McIlroy faced significant challenges during the opening round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink, shooting a four-over par 74. The Northern Irish golfer attributed his frustrating performance to persistent driving issues that resurfaced under pressure, despite previous efforts to correct them. McIlroy admitted that his tee shots became wayward when he felt the intensity of major championship competition, leading to poor angles and difficult lies. He finished his round with five bogeys in his last six holes, including four consecutive bogeys. Although he had recently won the Masters, he noted similar struggles off the tee during that victory. McIlroy dismissed concerns about a right pinky toe injury, stating it was not a factor. He also cited windy conditions and the severe penalty for missing fairways at Aronimink as contributing factors to the high scores across the field. The golfer expressed his intention to return to practice to resolve these swing inconsistencies, acknowledging a back-and-forth pattern of missing right and then overcorrecting to the left.