First day of the PGA
As Rory McIlroy makes the headlines without leading a tourney he will undoubtedly do so when he does standing at the head of the Leaderboard with -5.
He was in a group of Major winners comprising Tiger Woods (15), Jordan Spieth (3) and himself (4).
Jordan Spieth needs to win the PGA for his Grand Slam but having carded +2 is unlikely to do so.
Rory needs to win the Masters.
Of the younger generation Collin Morikawa already has two.
Of the previous generations Sam Snead never won the US Open, nor has Phil Michelson.
Arnold Palmer never won the PGA.
Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam in one year (1930), a feat slightly diminished by no Masters which was inaugurated in 1934 and winning the British Amateur Championship having then major status.
Rory normally has one bad round so he is not yet ‘home and hosed’.
Young pretenders Will Zalatoris and Abraham Ancer and my man Cameron Smith are in the mix.
Watching from the start, I saw Tiger Woods in shorts walking uncomfortably to the club house wearing a knee brace sock.
Later he had a distinct hobble and all 4 rounds may be an ordeal. All credit to him for actually competing given the damage to his body.
As the song in Oklahoma! goes
“Where the wind blows down the plains …”
Well it will be blowing down the Southern Hills course in Tulsa today and it will be a stern examination of golf.
