Aaron Rai, the reigning US PGA champion, delivered a strong performance in the first round of the PGA Championship at Wentworth, posting a 66. This score saw him outshine playing partner Rory McIlroy by three shots, with McIlroy finishing on 69. Rai's impressive round tied him for the early lead alongside Joakim Lagergren.
Despite his major championship status, Rai admitted to pre-round nerves about playing with McIlroy. He stated, “I can’t remember feeling that nervous on a Thursday. It’s an amazing experience to be playing with the likes of Rory.” Ryan Fox, the third member of their group, recorded a 68.
McIlroy, who had previously shot a 60 in a pro-am at Wentworth, is currently undergoing technical changes to his swing. He commented that his swing "definitely still looks better on the range than it does when I get out there on the course."
Patrick Reed also made an early mark with a 68, as he aims to hold off McIlroy in the DP World Tour’s season-long order of merit. Reed expressed that competing against McIlroy is "always fun because that means you get to play some amazing golf."