{"id":449947,"date":"2026-05-15T09:08:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T09:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/449947\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T09:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T09:08:09","slug":"mcilroy-despondent-lowry-cautious-after-strong-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/449947\/","title":{"rendered":"McIlroy despondent, Lowry cautious after strong start"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rory McIlroy labelled his opening round of the US PGA Championship as s**t after he finished with four successive bogeys.<\/p>\n

The 37-year-old was among the early starters at Aronimink Golf Club in south-west Philadelphia and appeared to have steadied the ship after an opening bogey.<\/p>\n

He hit back with a birdie before reeling off 10 straight pars. But his back nine \u2013 the first nine on the course \u2013 decimated his round with five bogeys and a solitary birdie leaving him four over par.<\/p>\n

Asked to describe his round, McIlroy said: “S**t.<\/p>\n

“I started missing fairways. I missed the fairway right on four, the fairway right on six, the fairway right on seven, fairway right on nine.<\/p>\n

“I made that birdie on five to get back to even-par after the soft bogey on four, then I just got on that bogey train at the end.<\/p>\n

“I’m just not driving the ball well enough. It\u2019s been a problem all year for the most part. I just need to try to figure it out. I honestly thought I\u2019d figured it out.<\/p>\n

“Just sort of, once I get under the gun, it just seems like it starts to go a little bit wayward on me.”<\/p>\n

The back-to-back Masters champion had said he felt the course was a “bash driver down, figure it out” course but a number of players came unstuck when missing the fairway.<\/p>\n

McIlroy admitted being wayward was more penalising than he thought.<\/p>\n

“There certainly is a penalty for missing the fairway. Probably more than what I anticipated after being here, whatever it is, two Fridays ago,” McIlroy said.<\/p>\n

\"NEWTON
\nShane Lowry: ‘I wouldn’t say I feel amazing about my game but I feel good’<\/p>\n

It was a different story for Shane Lowry who said one of his overriding concerns was managing his expectations after a strong opening round of 68 left him one stroke off the lead.<\/p>\n

Lowry, whose best finish in the PGA Championship is tied-fourth – alongside Padraig Harrington – at Kiawah Island in 2021, chipped in for eagle on the par-five ninth to really ignite his round.<\/p>\n

An eagle for Shane Lowry at 9! \ud83e\udd85 pic.twitter.com\/N00u8PIQsj<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Two birdies followed on the back nine, including at the closing hole to leave him well placed around a layout which was playing far trickier than expected.<\/p>\n

“I didn’t feel that comfortable out there,” Lowry told RT\u00c9 Sport’s Greg Allen.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes I feel great and you end up not shooting a great score and when you don’t feel that good maybe it focuses you in on your targets a little bit better.<\/p>\n

“It’s a good start to a big week and hopefully I can keep that momentum going over the next few days.<\/p>\n

“I’m confident. I wouldn’t say I feel amazing about my game but I feel good.”<\/p>\n

TEE TIMES: FRIDAY<\/a><\/p>\n

The 2019 Open champion admitted he was relishing the challenge presented by the Aronimink course.<\/p>\n

“This type of golf is kind of nice sometimes where you don’t have to make a birdie every three holes to feel like you’re not going backwards.<\/p>\n

“I’m coming to these big tournaments with a lot of expectation on myself and just trying to manage that is probably the big thing for me on weeks like this.<\/p>\n

“Just manage my expectation – almost my want – to go out there and be in contention on Sunday and win one of these tournaments again.<\/p>\n

“I’ve done the right things over the last week and it paid off today but we have a long way to go from here.”<\/p>\n

With additional reporting: PA <\/p>\n