PGA Championship: McIlroy admits he made the most of good fortune at Valhalla
The Holywood star is four off the lead after the opening round
Rory McIlroy says he washappy with his score, but not necessarily with his game following the first round of the second major of the season, the PGA Championship at Valhalla.
The Holywood man went roun the course he won his last major at in 2014 in five under par, to finish the day four behind leader, American Xander Schauffele, who equalled the lowest round in major history with a superb nine inder par 62 at the Kentucky course.
Despite such a low score, Schauffele was only three shots clear of compatriots Tony Finau and Sahith Theegala, with Rory McIlroy and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre another stroke back.
McIlroy's 66 matched the opening round he posted on his way to victory at Valhalla in 2014 and represented an impressive effort in his first competitive round since it emerged he had filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica, on Monday.
The world number two's round was in danger of falling apart when he followed two early birdies with a bogey on the 17th and a tee shot into the water on the 18th, a fate he famously avoided by a few feet in the final round a decade ago.
However, after taking a penalty drop and pitching out on to the fairway, McIlroy hit a superb approach to seven feet to save par and then hit the pin with his second shot on the next to set up a short-range birdie.
"That was huge," McIlroy admitted.
"I could have easily bogeyed 18 and been back to even par, and then that ball on one could have hit the flagstick and went anywhere. I could have made bogey from that.
"Potentially being one over par through 10, I'm two under so it's a three-shot difference. It's a big swing."
McIlroy made the most of that swing with a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth, including a chip-in on the sixth, and added: "I thought I got a lot out of my game today. Some good up-and-downs, the chip-in on six.
"I had a little bit of a scrappy part around the turn there. Not really happy with how I played but at least happy with the score."
McIlroy's out again for his second round at 6.40pm UK time today, alongside Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson.
Meanwhile, Shane Lowry ended up on -2 after an opening 69, but it was disappointing day for 2008 winner Padraig Harrington, who fell to a round of six over 77 and is likely to missed the halfway cut mark.