Rory McIlroy

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- While his dad, Gerry, meandered his way through the large Louisville crowds Thursday in the first round of the PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy put together what he called a "scrappy" 5-under 66 to position himself in the top five after the first round at Valhalla Golf Club.

McIlroy was in a group directly behind Tiger Woods and Louisville native Justin Thomas, so the hoards of fans funneling their way down to the bottom of the hill on the back nine around 9 a.m. Thursday saw a lot of star power in one panoramic view. McIlroy was clinical all day, making six birdies and just one bogey to sit at 5-under after 18 holes, four back of Xander Schauffele, who set a new PGA Championship scoring record with a first-round 62.

But the commonly dominant aspect of McIlroy's game, his driving, was actually his liability Thursday. He lost strokes to the field off the tee — something he's done for an entire tournament just once since August 2022, per Data Golf — but made up for it with great scrambling. He led the field in strokes gained around the green.

"I don't really feel like I left many out there," McIlroy told reporters after the round. "I thought I got a lot out of my game today. Some good up-and-downs, the chip-in on 6. I had a little bit of a scrappy part around the turn there, but, overall ... not really happy with how I played but at least happy with the score."

IMAGES | Round 1 of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville

McIlroy is in a groove right now, winning his last two starts on tour, something he also did heading into the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, which he won. Not being happy with his play but still shooting a 66 is a good sign that form came with him to Louisville.

And that "scrappy" part really showed itself on the par-five 18th, McIlroy's ninth hole of the day, when he lost his drive right into the water. He took a drop, advanced the ball up to a spot 112 yards from the hole and got up-and-down from there for par.

"I dropped and took my medicine and made a great up-and-down from about 120 yards to make par, which was important after making bogey on 17," he said. "That kept any momentum that I had going into the next nine."

McIlroy birded four of the first seven holes on the front nine, climbing up the leaderboard to where he now sits, tied for fifth.

Schauffele's 62 was proof enough that the scores will be low this weekend at Valhalla. Rain earlier in the week and some more expected Friday will leave a soft golf course, which makes things much easier for scoring.

"The greens could get a little bit firmer, so that could make it a little more tricky," McIlroy said. "But even if the fairways dry out, (on) the zoysia, the ball doesn't really go anywhere when it lands. I could see it getting a touch firmer but I still think it's going to be pretty low scoring."

McIlroy tees off at 1:40 p.m. Friday on No. 1.

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