Watched by massive galleries, all three provided their share of the spectacular, along with a few missteps along the way, before McIlroy and Spieth wound up with matching 1-under 71s and Johnson with a 3-over 75.
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SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) – Rory McIlroy was nervous about his game.
“I’m pleased with it”, Spieth said.
It was a rewarding and timely opening round for Johnson, who five years ago at the same course incurred a two-stroke penalty on the final hole of the Championship that cost him a spot in a play-off for the title.
The statistics are telling: In his previous six majors, Johnson was a total of 35-under par in the first two rounds. “I hadn’t seen that this year at all, so it was a good day on the greens”.
“It’s only the first round”, Johnson said.
Rory McIlroy returned from an ankle ligament injury to defend his USPGA title at Whistling Straits this week. The Nos. 1 and 2 players in the world weren’t throwing birdies at each other. “I just had no feel at all for the speed”, Woods said. Birdied my first two holes, 10 and 11. He had back-to-back birdies to start the front nine, after making the turn, to get to 6-under – a stroke clear of Thomas Bjorn for the lead.
“It was very important to not go out there and s hoot myself out of it right away”, said McIlroy, who carded four birdies and three bogeys.
It certainly was for Johnson.
It’s just one of Johnson’s major near misses – the most recent a three-putt finish to the US Open at Chambers Bay.
The biggest surprise was St. Andrews.
It was like none of that ever happened.
“I hit it good today”, he later told reporters. “I played really well and hit a lot of quality shots”.
Sweden’s David Lingmerth briefly pulled level with the American but lost ground as winds grew stronger as the day went on. “[Holes] 15 and 16 were key holes today”.
“I still can do things overseas, our next (PGA Tour) season is starting up, I have my tournament down in the Bahamas”. But it was fine. I wasn’t too comfortable with my swing. “I just never got a putt”. I held very patient with it.
That shot made for good TV.
“If I don’t win“, he said, “I better have something for her or take her shopping”.
“I guessed wrong”, he said.
McIlroy started with bogey, courtesy of a three-putt, before responding immediately with a birdie at the par-5 second.
The wind began to blow hard over the final hour of Johnson’s round, and it showed in the scores.
Of the 14 players who broke 70, the Swede was one of only two who did it in the tougher afternoon conditions.
Tiger Woods, in advance of this week’s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, sounded resigned to his disappointing fate for the rest of this season.
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If not, he will miss the cut in his third straight major.
