PGA Championship: Rory McIlroy faces battle to make halfway cut

He has suffered a below-par season – and Rory McIlroy’s recent woes showed no sign of abating at the PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club.

Two-time PGA champion McIlroy’s putting fell apart in stifling conditions as he carded a four over par 74 in the opening round Thursday to leave him at risk of missing the halfway cut. It took him 35 putts to get round the 18 holes.

The Northern Irishman – who suffered three bogeys in his first seven holes and did not record a single birdie – lies a daunting nine shots behind leader Jimmy Walker and admitted he was “struggling.”

It was only the fourth time in 115 rounds at major tournaments that McIlroy had failed to make a birdie.

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The former world No. 1, now fourth in the rankings, has rarely been in contention this season but was top 10 at the British Open and the Masters as well as two World Golf Championship events.

He told reporters he would head back to his base to escape the New Jersey heat and “chill out” before doing extra work on his misfiring putting once temperatures dropped in the evening.

“I’m struggling with the pace,” he said. “I think you saw out there that there were a couple of putts from quite a short distance that I left short.

“I’ll try to hit some putts and then maybe spend a bit of extra time on the putting green tomorrow as well. I’ll try to do as much as I can, and not wear myself out.

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“I’m happy with my game from tee to green, and I’m driving the ball as well as I ever have. It’s when I get on the greens that it’s a different story.

“I’m struggling. And, yeah … it’s hard.”

McIlroy, a four-time Major winner, said he knew his immediate challenge in New Jersey would be “to play a good round and get into the weekend – that’s the first objective.”

He added: “I know my game is there because I keep giving myself chances. I’ll stay as patient as I can, try as hard as I can, and hopefully I will turn this around.”

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In June, McIlroy missed the halfway cut at the U.S. Open, suffering on the back nine to slip to eight over par.

And at the Masters in April, he shot a third-round 77 as he fell out of title contention.