PGA Championship: Rory McIlroy ends first round as leader, Tiger Woods struggles

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Rory McIlroy started the PGA Championship with a strong first round.

McIlroy shot a first-round 65 and finished 5-under par. He went into the clubhouse as the leader for the first round. It was the lowest opening-round score at a major since 2011, and as golf journalist Justin Ray noted, the last four times he shot lower than a 66 at a major he won the event.

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Rory McIlroy waits to hit on the 12th hole during the PGA Championship, Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The golf star had seven birdies on the day, finishing the round with a birdie on the ninth hole. He also had two bogeys.

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Will Zalatoris went into the clubhouse in second place, shooting a 66. He was 4-under par. Matt Kuchar shot a 67 and was 3-under par when he finished his first round.

Rory McIlroy watches his tee shot, as Tiger Woods watches, on the 17th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship, Thursday, May 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

McIlroy was in the same grouping as Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods.

Spieth shot a 72 after a strong start when the group teed off on the back nine. He was 1-under through the first five holes but bogeyed three of the final four holes on the back nine. He would add one more birdie and one more bogey on the front nine before heading into the clubhouse.

Jordan Spieth chips to the green on the 16th hole during the PGA Championship, Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoms. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

He was 2-over par.

Woods started on the back nine with two birdies and two bogeys, but his struggles came when the group went to the front nine. From the 18th to the fourth, he would record four bogeys. He would end the round on the eighth and ninth holes with bogeys as well.

Woods won the PGA Championship four times but finished the first round with a 74. He was 4-over.

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The same three golfers will be grouped together in the second round too. They will tee off at 2:36 p.m. ET.