Jon Rahm toils as Rory McIlroy battles hard in opening round of US PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club

Masters champion Jon Rahm found it tough going in the opening round of the US PGA Championship, as Rory McIlroy battled to keep his hopes alive. Rahm arrived in Rochester with a Green Jacket to his name following his Masters win, but he toiled in difficult conditions. Ad The Spaniard made a superb start with a birdie on his opening hole, his 10th, and was solid for six holes.

GolfMcIlroy reflects on Masters 'wake-up call' ahead of US PGA Championship16/05/2023 AT 16:17 But from the 16th, his seventh, the round unravelled for the world No. 1. He went on a run of five bogeys in six holes to drop off the pace.

A double bogey saw Rahm drop to seven-over, but he made an excellent birdie on his penultimate hole to sign for a 76. McIlroy’s round was in danger of going the same way as Rahm's, but he showed tremendous resolve on a day when he struggled off the tee. Rahm, McIlroy, Hatton? The European hopefuls at the PGA Championship Five great moments from the US PGA Championship McIlroy arrived at Oak Hill Country Club with lots of questions to answer, many of which were off limits during his pre-event media appearance.

After being one of the form players heading into the opening major and being full of confidence about completing the career Grand Slam, things have gone south since a missed cut at Augusta. He withdrew from the RBC Heritage, which cost him a penalty of $3 million, and said he was taking a break for his own mental health and to recharge the batteries. McIlroy returned to action at the Wells Fargo Championship and failed to figure.