By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
at Whistling Straits
Dustin Johnson's Major form, Rory's return, beastly bunkers and staggering scenery. We look back at eight talking points from day one of the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
1. Dustin Johnson is having a Major year
For the third Major Championship running, Dustin Johnson flew out of the blocks during the first round of the US PGA at Whistling Straits. Johnson, who shot 65 to lead after the opening rounds of both the US Open Championship at Chambers Bay and Open Championship at St Andrews, again sits atop the board in one of golf’s grandest old events following the first 18 holes as a superb 66 handed the athletic American a one-shot lead. Johnson dropped just one shot in another highly impressive outing, which featured four birdies and was capped by an eagle at the long 16th, to put himself right in the mix for another charge towards a maiden Major title at the very venue that dealt the South Carolinian such heartbreak five years ago, when he infamously grounded his club in one of the Straits’ numerous bunkers on the 72nd hole to miss out on a spot in the play-off as Martin Kaymer prevailed. After what also happened in Washington in June, American journalist Steve Elling’s description of Johnson’s mental fortitude was nothing short of poetic: “Dustin Johnson is like Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke,” he tweeted. “Getting caught over and over won't dissuade him from trying to climb the wall again.” Quite.
2. The 18th is Dyeabolical by name - and nature
At 520 yards, featuring an insane 96 bunkers, the par four 18th at Whistling Straits is rightly regarded as one of the toughest finishing holes in all of golf and it again showed its teeth on Thursday. By far ranking the toughest hole on day one of the 97th PGA Championship - at an average of 4.65 it was only marginally less than thepar five 16th (which ranked easiest) - the hole brilliantly titled 'Dyeabolical' after course designer Pete Dye yielded just six birdies compared to 84 bogeys or worse. Brutal.
3. Rory McIlroy will be just fine
It was one of the major talking points in the build-up to the season's final Major Championship. Will he play? Is it too soon? Rory McIlroy's widely publicised return to tournament golf following a significant ankle injury at the start of July played out without serious incident - physiologically at least. While his ankle held up just fine - the World Number One looked even sprightly at times - there was the odd scrap of expected rustiness in evidence during his opening 71 with a few errant drives, pushed approaches and tentative chips. Altogether, though, the Northern Irishman was his normal impressive self. Excellent scrambling pars from the thick stuff on the first and sixth holes and some moments of brilliance - not least his up-and-down from the water on the fifth or a stiffed approach to a couple of feet on the hugely challenging ninth. Business as usual for the world's finest.
4. Sometimes the Golden Boys cannot be separated
It has been billed as golf's next great rivalry. There might well be no acrimony between the Texan and his European counterpart but for sportsmen of this level, going head-to-head for the title, 'Number One golfer in the world' this week, that competition has to be healthy. One is the defending champion, the other has won two Majors already this year, and on Thursday Jordan Spieth and McIlroy could not be separated as the playing partners shot matching 71s. Interestingly, the American hasn't always found his best form alongside the Northern Irishman. In their nine rounds playing together, Spieth has shot 72-75-75-71-70-71-76-71-71, totalling 652 strokes, compared to McIlroy, who has shot 71-69-66-66-77-72-67-72-71 for a total of 631 shots. Both head into Friday five back and lurking ominously.
5. The ET rookies can mix it with the big boys
Six European Tour members are making their first starts in the US PGA this week and there were a couple of notable performances on day one in Wisconsin from the tournament rookies. Most impressive of all was Englishman James Morrison, who playing in the morning fired an excellent 69 featuring five birdies and just two dropped shots. The Open de Espana champion even provided one of the endangered birdies at the titanic 18th. Asked what he was going to be doing while the afternoon starters toiled in the wind, he quipped: "I don't know actually, I think I'll have lunch, a couple of coffees, maybe, a little workout, massage, pedicure, manicure." We don't know if he was even joking. Elsewhere, making not only his maiden US PGA bow but his Major debut, too, Argentine Emiliano Grillo fired a two under par 70 - good enough for a share of 15th with 54 holes to come. Take a bow, son.
6. The early bird catches the worm
As referenced above, conditions were far more favourable for the morning starters as the wind increased and the course dried out during the afternoon play. The statistics backed this up, too, with the early groupings setting a scoring average of 73.4 while the later starters averaged 74.9. American Scott Piercy fared the best of the afternoon bunch with a fine 68.
7. The bunkers are no joke
Just ask Rickie Fowler, who took four shots to get out of one on the third hole (above). Or Phil Mickelson, who needed the best of his vaunted short game to scale the 40 feet up from one of the traps to the left of the 17th green. Much talked about in the build-up - all 1,000-plus of them - the multitude of sandy hazards at Whistling Straits took their toll on a number of unfortunate souls on day one.
8. Whistling Straits is beautiful
Okay so we knew this already, but who needs an excuse to enjoy some more fine shots of this Wisconsin gem.
