It’s been 64 years since Aronimink last hosted a major championship but the Pennsylvania course has returned to the men’s championship rota in a huge ‘stand-up and take notice’ manner.
Indeed, mid-round on day one just some 30 players have managed to break par but in constrast many big names have struggled including:
Two over 72 – Alex Fitzpatrick, Ludwig Aberg, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton
Four over 74 – Billy Horschell, Tom McKibbin, Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy
Six-0ver 76 – Lucas Glover, Bryson DeChambeau
McIlroy’s first major since his double Augusta National triumph was progessing nicely, well until the last few holes and with the Northern Irishman ending his round bogey (13th hole), birdie (14) but then horribly bogeying 15, 16, 17 and the last in his round of 74.
LITTLE PINKY’S OKAY BUT NOT THE BIG STICK ….
No small toe concern @McIlroyRory but not the same with his driver, struggling with four closing bogeys and a disappointing four-over 7⃣4⃣ @PGAChampionship
“I’m just not driving the ball well enough,” McIlroy said after his round.… pic.twitter.com/zwnklDGe9R
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) May 14, 2026
After having to cut Tuesday’s practice round short because of ongoing issues with a blister on the baby toe of his right foot, the Masters champ hit the course at Aronimink Golf Club on Thursday trying to win his second major in a row.
“I’m just not driving the ball well enough,” McIlroy said after his round. “It’s been a problem all year for the most part.”
“I’ve sort of got, like I miss it right, and then I want to try to correct it. And then I’ll overdo it, and I’ll miss it left. It’s a little bit of back and forth that way. So that’s pretty frustrating, especially when like I pride myself on driving the ball well.”
It was a disappointing finish to what had been a serviceable opening round at the classic parkland course outside Philadelphia. After the morning wave of golfers, the early lead was set at three-under and McIlroy would have found himself in the mix had it not been for his disastrous finishing stretch.
The not the opening round Rory McIloy sought. Image Getty
“I just need to try to figure it out,” he said. “I honestly thought I’d figured it out.
“Coming in here, I hit it well on Sunday at Quail Hollow, and then hit it good at home on Monday. Obviously, I had to curtail the practice round Tuesday, but hit it decent yesterday. Just sort of, once I get under the gun, it just seems like it starts to go a little bit wayward on me.”
There certainly is a penalty for missing the fairway,” McIlroy said of Aronimink’s thick rough.
“Probably more than what I anticipated after being here, whatever it is, two Fridays ago (for a practice round).”
As for why nobody was able to go particularly low on Thursday morning, McIlroy pointed to the elements.
“I think it was the wind. I wasn’t expecting it to be as windy today as it was,” he said. “I think it’s the breezy conditions that are sort of making the scoring what it is. It’s hard to get the ball close. Some of the pins are tucked away.”
It goes without saying McIlroy is going to need a decent score tomorrow as he could be staring at missing a cut in a major championship since The Open of 2024.
