It’s often said that while you can’t win a golf tournament on a Thursday, you certainly can lose it.
Rory McIlroy didn’t exactly lose any PGA championships at Quail Hollow on Thursday, but he certainly made things tougher for himself—and for the weekend ahead, assuming he makes the cut.
The remaining players, including some Masters champions, had a tough time, just like his fellow competitors.
In an unexpected twist, all three of them recorded double bogeys on the 16th hole. These were the top-ranked golfers, and to have them all at two over on the same hole was pretty shocking.
Now, regarding Rory, his opening round score of 74 wasn’t ideal for anyone hoping he could chase a single-season grand slam. This outcome, however, wasn’t entirely surprising, especially considering Chris Solomon’s earlier remarks about Rory this week.
Of course, anything can happen in the next few days at Quail Hollow. At the moment, the clubhouse leader is Ryan Gerald at 7 under par—kudos to him! That creates a lot of pressure for Rory to bounce back.
Here’s hoping he can turn things around on Friday afternoon.
