Among the handful of players who broke 70 on the opening day of the 103rd USPGA Championship was a 24 year old Englishman making his debut in the event.
Sam Horsfield had to sit out the US Open last September after testing positive for Covid-19. Now, in just his second major as a pro, the Mancunian carded a wonderful 69 to rub shoulders in joint second place with the likes of four-time major champion Brooks Koepka.
Horsfield leapt to prominence last August when he won two events in the space of three weeks during the UK swing on the European Tour. A big hitter and silky putter, he liked the Ocean Course from the moment he set eyes on it.
Sam Horsfield, playing the US PGA C’Ship for the first time, was among a handful to break 70
Not even a win at his last event and a return to a familiar venue could get Rory McIlroy on track
The only man above him on the leaderboard as the evening shadows lengthened on a fascinating first round was Canadian Corey Conners, who showed off his ball striking gifts with a prodigious 67.
Then came the lengthy list on three under that, in addition to Horsfield and Koepka, included two more past winners of the Wanamaker Trophy in defending champion Collin Morikawa and Keegan Bradley, the 2011 winner who finished tied third here nine years ago.
Another on the same mark was Viktor Hovland, the brilliant 23 year old Norwegian who looks ready to win majors sooner rather than later.
Not even a dodgy knee and a double bogey on his opening hole that left him feeling ‘like an idiot’ could sap the resolve of Koepka.
Not even a victory in his last event and a return to a venue filled with glad tidings could end the majors misery for playing partner, Rory McIlroy.
Koepka bounced back from his horror start with a gritty display as he seeks his third win in this event in four years.
McIlroy, by stark contrast, shot an erratic 75 to continue his dismal recent record in the first round of the Grand Slams.
Koekpa’s opening hole was so comically bad it left you wondering why on earth he’d shown up to play the longest course in majors history, when his knee is quite plainly still not right.
When he’s studying putts, one leg stays straight, for his right knee can’t stand the strain of being in the crouch position.
After driving into a sandy waste area at his opening hole, the 10th, he hammered his second shot into the bank in front of him. What a start.
Thereafter, he showed why he’s won his Grand Slams. ‘I love majors, I’m never not going to show up,’ he insisted, with obvious relish in his voice.
‘This is what it’s about, when it’s this difficult. I love the grind, when it’s all about ball striking and it can be a good shot if you hit it to 30ft.
‘It was a poor mental mistake at the first and it left me feeling like an idiot but it actually helped, oddly enough, because it got me focused, and I got into a good rhythm after that.’
Canadian Corey Conners showed off his ball striking gifts with a prodigious 67 – and he leads
Getting off to a good start in majors is elusive for McIlroy and his opening tee shot set the tone
Some of his shots were things of beauty, including an 80 yard pitch under the wind to tap-in distance at the par five 16th. He also holed his share on the greens with that flowing putting stroke.
Getting off to a good start in majors continues to prove elusive for McIlroy, and never mind that he was back at Kiawah, where he won by eight in 2012.
A wild opening tee shot set the tone to continue a depressing pattern since the career Grand Slam moved into view in 2015.
The Northern Irishman was a total of 32 over par for first rounds in majors over the last six years, and duly added another three strokes to that horrific aggregate.
McIlroy turned up wearing Irish green and soon had everyone thinking back to the Emerald Isle and Royal Portrush, where he smashed his first tee shot out of bounds at the 2019 Open.
This one was to the right rather than the left but still cost him a stroke, as it finished in a penalty area.
McIlroy responded with birdies at the 11th and 12th but it was a different story once he turned into the wind.
The damage to McIlroy’s card may have verged on embarrassing without his good short game
At one point he missed seven greens in regulation in a row, a sequence that included two par fives, as he dropped four shots.
Back downwind, he birdied the 6th and then had the easiest hole on the course to follow, a par five that Bryson DeChambeau hit with a drive and wedge, on his way to a 72.
McIlroy pulled yet another drive into a clump of rough and ended up having to chip out sideways.
He ended up with his third bogey, would you believe, on a par five.
McIlroy will face a stronger wind for his second round as he looks to avoid being blown away
McIlroy has placed his faith these days in the hands of two seventy-somethings, coach Pete Cowen and sports psychologist Bob Rotella. The two wise old men would have needed to have been at their persuasive best last night.
On Friday afternoon, McIlroy will play his second round in what is expected to be a stronger wind.
He’s going to have to show a lot more than this if he’s not to get blown out of a second major in a row at halfway.