NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania - Masters champion Rory McIlroy opened his bid for a second consecutive major title with a bogey in the first round of the PGA Championship. He was among a trio of high-profile groups that headed out well before Scottie Scheffler began his quest to become the event's first repeat winner since 2019.
World number two McIlroy, who began his round at the par-four 10th hole at Aronimink Golf Club and was dealing with a blister on his right pinky toe, hit a tree with his tee shot. He barely got his second shot out of the thick rough before hitting it to 14 feet from where he two-putted.
McIlroy was playing in a group with Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm, one of 11 LIV Golf players competing in the year's second major. Spieth, bidding this week to become only the seventh man to complete the career grand slam, opened with a par.
Playing one group ahead was another high-profile threesome featuring 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, and LIV Golf's Tyrrell Hatton. Schauffele enjoyed a birdie-birdie start.
World number one Scheffler, who upped his major tally to four with wins at last year's PGA Championship and British Open, is not due to tee off until 2:05 p.m. ET alongside Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick. Scheffler has runner-up finishes in his last three starts on the PGA Tour, including at the Masters where he fell just short of an unprecedented comeback from 12 strokes down after 36 holes.
Stephan Jaeger was the early on-course leader after going four under through his opening six holes.