PGA Championship: Watch Rory McIlroy Make Par From the Water

The final golf major of the year, the 2015 PGA Championship, teed off Thursday morning at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.

Martin Kaymer, the victor here five years ago, double-bogeyed his final hole, the tricky ninth, to turn a 68 into a 70, and Japanese phenom Hideki Matsuyama bogeyed three of his last four after being a single shot off Johnson’s pace.

Lee was one of the early starters and with the wind getting up at Whistling Straits there may not be too many challengers from the players still on the course.

Asked what he had learned over the years about being in the lead at majors or trying to play catch-up, Johnson replied: “It doesn’t really bother me either way”. Dustin Johnson is the leader after Round 1 with a 6-under 66.

“Today I thought I did a great job of just staying patient, hitting the shots that the course allowed me to hit“.

Unless he can conjure up some magic of yore, Tiger Woods is likely to miss the cut at a 3rd straight major championship.

“This was definitely the time to take advantage of the golf course, Probably as easy as we have seen this place play”. After Jordan Speith came away with the first two major victories at the Master and U.S. Open, Zach Johnson posted an epic comeback to grab the British Open title last month.

McIlroy rolled his trousers up and chipped a shot out of the water at the PGA, setting himself up for a simple putt for par.

Johnson made five birdies and an early eagle to post one clear of the Swede and two clear of a group of six that includes Jason Day and Matt Kuchar. Woods managed only two birdies, both on the par 5s, in the calmer conditions and never looked good with the putter in opening with a 75. He missed a sharp-breaking birdie putt from 10 feet.

Woods started out reasonably well, setting up birdie putts of 9 and 10 feet on his second and third holes, Nos. “If I don’t, then I have more time to practice and get ready for the following events, for the next season and obviously some of the things I do on a global level”.

Woods is looking at missing the FedEx Cup playoffs for the third time in five years. “Your guess is as good as mine”. Back in 1992, when finally claiming the US Open, Tom Kite famously admitted to “lying to the public for years” about being nonplussed by an inability to convert major chances. “I think obviously when you go and shoot seven, eight, nine under par in a major in the first round, it’s a lot of pressure to absorb for the rest of the week because you’re in contention”. You could go on and on with his list of accomplishments.

“I really felt like I had may ball under control a lot like the US Open”.