As Rory splashes back into action
Great to see world number one Rory McIlroy back in action this week in the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin (13-16 August). One just wonders though how the injured ankle will bear up in this the last Major of the season. Especially four rounds of golf on a course famed for its 1,002 sand-bunkers! OK, many are little more than a rough sandy patch as Dustin Johnson found out to his woe back in 2010 when he grounded his club in one not realising that it was actually a sand-bunker. His mistake cost him a 2-stroke penalty and a missed chance to get into a play-off with fellow American Bubba Watson and eventual winner Martin Kaymer from Germany.
Whilst the sand-traps at Whistling Straits are nothing compared with the punishing pothole bunkers at courses like Gullane, where the Scottish Open was played last month, they could prove more hazardous than usual for a player with a recently ruptured ankle ligament.
Twenty-six year old McIlroy was not able to defend his Open Championship title at St Andrews in July after a football session with friends ended in a serious injury of his left ankle. According to the player from Northern Ireland, the necessary rest and physio has got him back in shape in the nick of time to defend his US PGA Championship title. And his first competitive round of golf in 53 days confirms that sentiment. Rory opened with a one-under par 71, but not without adventure. His ankle was put to the test not in a sand-bunker, but in Lake Michigan. As every golf-crazy American will be able to tell you, in his attempt to save par, Rory simply and neatly rolled up his pink pants (his right trouser leg, to be more precise), took his stance with one leg in the water, opened up the clubface of his (water) wedge and splashed out of Lake Michigan on the par 5, 601-yard 5th, onto the green and then popped in the putt for par. A great stunt and also good publicity for his golf shoes which he didn’t remove to play out of the water, by the way. Guess every top caddie has a pair of DryJoys tucked away in the golf bag somewhere for just such an occasion …!
Johnson paves Major history
In all, 98 of the world’s best 100 golfers are gathered in the 156-man field of the 97th US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Leader after day one is American Dustin Johnson who looked all set to win The Open at St Andrews last month. With no major bunker incidents this time at Whistling Straits, the 31-year old carded a 6-under par 66 to lead the tournament by one stroke. And that’s another feather in Johnson’s golf cap. He has become the first player to lead three consecutive majors after day one.
Currently in second place on 5-under is David Lingmerth (Sweden) and one stroke behind him is Australia’s Jason Day along with seven other players in a tie for third spot. The hunt is on for the Wanamaker Trophy and a lion’s share of the record ten million dollar prize fund. Expect nothing less than another three scintillating days of action at Whistling Straits.
Wendy Hoad
Photograph: Dustin Johnson leading the way on day one of The Open at St Andrews.