The PGA of American had no problem putting Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth together for the first two rounds at Whistling Straits.
It is what everyone wanted to see: No. 1 vs. No. 2, or as more view it — 1A vs. 1B.
First and foremost, it was very, very evident that McIlroy was fit and ready to play. He showed no ill effects from his layoff despite a bogey on his opening hole. He bounced right back with birdie at the second then finished his nine the same way — bogey, birdie for an even par 36.
While McIlroy probably worked harder, Spieth looked to be in cruise control. With nine straight pars, then added a 10th before he stung himself with an ugly three-putt bogey at the par five 11th, a hole that was playing downwind and most were making birdies. Spieth missed a two-footer for par, his only major foul-up on the day.
Birdies by McIlroy at the 11th and 16th looked like he’d finished two-under but he bogeyed the final hole from the middle of the fairway while Spieth made par. “I think anything under par in the afternoon was a decent score,” McIlroy said. He also reiterated that he is feeling well. “As you can see out there the way I’m hitting the ball and the way I’m getting around the golf course, I have full confidence in it (ankle). It didn’t bother me one bit.”
Two young stars — two 71s, two in solid contention.
They played during the most difficult time of the day, the afternoon when the winds pushed near the 20-mile-per-hour mark then calmed a bit late.
“Tough conditions,” Spieth said after his day’s work. “Cross winds and it’s tough to judge your distance into the green and it’s tough putting as well. I’m pleased with under par.”
Oh yes, there was a third member of the group — the guy who won the British Open — Zach Johnson. But on this day, the Champion Golfer of the Year struggled over the final nine with three bogeys that put him at 75, in danger of missing the 36-hole cut.
