Rain arrives right on time for Rory

Rory McIlroy may have been pleased to see the dark clouds gather over Oak Hill last night, just as a bright start to his PGA Championship defence was getting a little gloomy in upstate New York.

Play had been suspended due to inclement weather late in the afternoon here (9:25pm Irish time), just as McIlroy had carded back-to-back bogeys at the par-four 10th and par-three 11th holes of the famed Donald Ross-designed East Course. That sent the Holywood star back to one under par for his round as the horn sounded to bring the players off the course, with former US Open champion Jim Furyk sitting pretty on the clubhouse lead following an opening 65, Masters champion Adam Scott tying him for the lead at five under par after 10 holes.

Having spent the year to this point struggling with his swing, and after disappointing returns in all three Majors thus far, McIlroy will have been delighted with his fast start to the final Major of the season, which he won by a record-breaking eight shots 12 months ago at Kiawah Island.

He birdied the first, third and fourth holes, a par-four, three and five respectively before his first blemish came at the par-four fifth. That dropped shot was clawed back at the par-four ninth, though, and McIlroy made the turn for home in good shape at three under par, two off Furyk’s lead, only for his round to unravel slightly.

Oak Hill’s reputation as a course for good ball-strikers rather than bombers was certainly being endorsed by the make-up of the early leaderboard, not least by 43-year-old Furyk. Ranked seventh on the PGA Tour this year for fairways hit, the American compiled his lowest opening round score in 19 PGA Championship appearances, carding six birdies and one bogey — frustratingly at the ninth, his final hole of the day — with 29 putts, hitting eight of 14 fairways and reaching 15 of 18 greens in regulation.

“Really felt in control this morning,” Furyk said. “It was nice to get off to a good start [with birdie] at No 10. Knocked in a nice putt from about six feet, knocked in a good par putt on 11. Got off to a good start with the putter.

“I had some testy, four-, five-, six-footers to start the day and I was able to knock a bunch of those in and get some rhythm with my putter, and I think that eased some tension with the rest of my game, as well. Hit a bunch of fairways today, controlled my iron shots very well. I hit 15 greens. Felt good with the putter, so a fun day when stuff like that happens.”

Scott, who for the second year in a row had blown a clear lead on the back nine of the final round at The Open, had joined Furyk in the lead thanks to five birdies in a row on the front nine between the fourth and eighth holes, although he was very nearly off to a very bad start at the first tee.

Playing alongside the season’s fellow Major champions Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson, the Australian had looked every inch the 107th ranked player for fairways hit when he sprayed his opening tee shot way right but showed his mettle to save par and never looked back.

Open champion Mickelson, attempting to follow Pádraig Harrington as the most recent back-to-back Major winner, was getting his bid off to a less impressive start with a bogey-double bogey negotiation of the par-three third and par-five fourth before a birdie at the ninth left him at two over par as the hooter sounded.

Already in the clubhouse with Furyk was Canadian David Hearn, with a four-under 66 while Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez was also on four under after 12 holes, with a clutch of players just a further shot behind the lead at three under.

Paul Casey, Robert Garrigus, Matt Kuchar and Marcus Fraser all carded 67s while Scott Piercy, US Open champion Rose and Lee Westwood were on three under.

Tournament favourite Tiger Woods was looking set to make an impression on the early leaderboard at two under after 12 holes but a bogey at his 13th, and then a disastrous double bogey at the ninth left him seething at one over for the day.

“I’m still right there, as of now,” Woods said. “I’m only six shots back and there’s a long way to go.”