Rory McIlroy Shoots 2-Over 72, Sits in 53rd After PGA Championship 2019 Round 1

Rory McIlroy opened the 2019 PGA Championship with a two-over 72 on Thursday at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.

The two-time PGA Championship winner entered the clubhouse in a tie for 53rd place, nine shots off Brooks Koepka.

Fast starts have generally been a strength for McIlroy this season. He was five under through the first round of The Players Championship en route to his victory, and his five-under opening round at the Wells Fargo Championship put him on the path for his eighth top-10 finish in 10 PGA Tour events.

McIlroy will almost certainly have to wait before he lifts the Wanamaker Trophy for a third time after an uncharacteristically poor opening round.

Right out of the gate he was playing from behind. His drive on No. 1 landed well short of the fairway, though he still got himself on the green to putt for a potential par. His putt rolled past the cup, so he settled for a bogey.

McIlroy encountered bad luck on the green on No. 8 as he watched his four-foot par putt miss the mark badly, once again forcing him to put a bogey on his scorecard.

He couldn't blame his putter for his bogey on No. 15. His approach on the second shot put him in the rough just beyond the green, and he had nearly 63 feet standing between him and a par once he chipped onto the green. A two-putt knocked him back to three over.

McIlroy at least closed his round on a high note, sinking a tricky birdie putt on the 18th hole.

According to PGATour.com, McIlroy averaged 2.00 putts per green in regulation, which is tied for 115th in the tournament. Suffice it to say, that's not going to get the job done on such a difficult course.

At this point, McIlroy is edging closer to the cut line than title contention. Only once in 10 events has he failed to make the cut at the PGA Championship, and he could very well make it two in 11 this weekend.

McIlroy is just one of many stars who could fall victim to the vagaries of Bethpage Black. Bryson DeChambeau, Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods are all two over as well.

McIlroy will begin the second round on the 10th tee with Phil Mickelson and Jason Day. They'll get their day started at 8:13 a.m. ET.