Rory McIlroy makes early run with monster 63-foot eagle putt

Rory McIlroy was nervous about his game.

The 27-year-old Australian has been a perennial contender at golf’s biggest tournaments over the past five years, having claimed nine top-10 finishes before arriving at Whistling Straits this week.

It was like none of that ever happened.

Despite the fireworks from these two players the round of the day belonged to South Africa’s Brendan Grace.

You want wild? Try hitting it from some of the places Phil Mickelson visited en route to a nine-birdie round of 66.

“Unfortunately, I’m potentially missing out on the playoffs”, he said. “But I’m really pleased with the way I’m swinging it right now”. “But I’m going to give him a fight”.

But McIlroy played the remaining holes in even par, unable to keep pace as Spieth picked up three birdies on his inward run. After hitting his second shot to the back rough of the green, he was left with a nasty lie. “It’s still my best score of the week, but it could have been a lot better”. “We’ll see what they bring, it’s just about trying to limit the mistakes”. But it was fine. “Everything I need to do is just make sure that I focus and prepare myself for tomorrow”. It is that kind of course: if you’re out of position on it, you’d better be good, and these guys are, as the slogan advises. “And I was very fortunate to escape with a par there”.

Spieth, who started the day five off the Dustin Johnson’s lead at six-under, had six birdies and one bogey. “Today was a good day”, the leader said.

Tiger Woods has virtually no chance of sticking around for more than another hour or so. “I didn’t putt as well as I would have liked”, McIlroy said.

On the 11th hole, he made his second birdie.

The chip came out hot, and Spieth figured it would have gone some 12 feet by the hole. “When is he going to slow down?”‘ Spieth said. It hit straight on and dropped for a birdie he badly needed.

“I guess the PGA Tour may be coming to a close, but I’ve still got plenty of golf to play around the world”. However, Lingmerth trailed three others when play was halted. But he still was two shots behind Day, determined not to let his great year end without winning his first.

Déjà vu for Woods: Another major championship, another missed cut for Tiger Woods.

Given all the drama on Saturday, he grand finale at the PGA Championship will undoubtedly be another thrilling roller coaster finish as the top golfers in the world vie for the final major of the season.