• US PGA Championship Round One

What They Said

Rory McIlroy picked up a wrist injury in his round of 70 and admitted he may have erred by not playing safe when hitting a tree root. He said: "It was dangerous. I thought maybe the root was a foot in front of the ball and felt if I could make contact with the ball and let go of the club I'd get away with it. In hindsight it's one that I should have chipped out sideways. I went through impact and held on to the club too long and jarred my wrist and forearm and it was then painful. It was like a sharp pain up the forearm and then there was the swelling up the wrist. I am now going to get an MRI and see how it is. "He [physio] said it was my decision to play on. It is the last major of the year and I have six or seven months to the Masters so I felt it was worth getting on with it."

Steve Stricker burned up the course with a 63, but missed out on the first round of 62 in major championship history. He said: "I was aware it was for 62 but did not know it was for history. I hit a good putt. It just tailed off and broke a bit but all in all it was a great day and I can't complain. I got off to a great start and birdied 15 and 18 and when I did that I knew that if I got through a few holes on the front nine it could be good. I have had the same form the last three or four years. I come to the course with a lot of confidence and don't have any expectation, but just do what I can do."

Jerry Kelly is chasing Stricker at five-under and was happy with his display. He said: "I have a driver in my hand that I enjoy hitting and it has melted into my game, it has helped my irons and has also helped me putt better. The rough is not innocent, it is dastardly. It is tough and you have got to get it in the fairway."

Davis Love III worked himself into contention with a round of 68 and he was full of praise for the course. "I hit the ball really well today," Love said. "I got in a few bunkers and got in a little bit of trouble a couple times, but all in all, it was a good, solid day. Any time you're under par in a major, it seems pretty good, until you look at Stricker, then it feels like the John Deere again. I played pretty good, but I'm way behind Stricker.

"It was a good start, and the course is in great shape. As long as you're in the fairway and on the greens, you know you're going to have perfect lies and a chance to make birdies. As soon as you get off the fairways, it's going to get tough. I hit enough fairways today to keep myself in the game. I think it's tough. They set it up pretty good today. They gave us a break on a few holes, didn't play them all the way back. I think all in all players are saying they've never seen this good of greens in a major, never seen this good of fairways in a major, so it's a great course, it's just tough."

Tiger Woods faced up to the press after his round of 77 and was understandably far from happy with his opening effort. He said: "I'm not down. I'm really angry right now. So there's a lot of words I could use beyond that."

"Because I was three-under early, and I said, you know what, every shot I hit up to that point were all mechanical thoughts, I put the club in a certain position, and I was doing that and I said, you know what, I'm feeling good. Let's just let it go. And it cost me the whole round.My motor pattern is getting there, and I start fighting it, and I couldn't get it back. Obviously it's tough.

"I've been in this process before: I've been through it with Butch; I've been through it with Hank; and now I've been through it with Sean. I just thought, this is a major, and you peak for these events. And once you get to a major championship, you just let it fly, let it go. And I did and it cost me."

Ken Mangrum, director of golf courses and grounds, had a problem before play with a mower digging up a couple of greens He said: "We had a hiccup with the mower but everything is fine and we are playing golf. We think it was weather-related with the humidity. The mowers are fine, but it is all good and our staff came through. It is a big day and you have a lot going down. The last thing you want on your wedding day is a cut on the face."

Phil Mickelson battled round for a 71 and felt he played better than his score suggested: "I played well today. I spotted the field from shots right on the first hole (No. 10) and I had to fight. Throughout the day I hit a lot of good shots on the hard holes and made some good pars, and only a couple birdies, and shot 1 over. It's certainly not what I wanted. But I feel like my game is right there. You know, it's about to turn. I'm going to fight hard tomorrow to get into the weekend.

"It was a fun, great golf course, and what this is, is a long golf course. It's not fun. It's not great. It's not exciting. There's no intimacy. It's just long and it's hard, and that's what it is."

Adam Scott took things easy before opening up with a 69 © PA Photos

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The long par 3s - which measure 219, 184, 260 and 207 yards - drew criticism from Mickelson who said: "It's a perfect example of how modern architecture is killing the game, because these holes are unplayable for the member," Mickelson said. "Now, for us out here, it doesn't make a bit of difference, because we are going to fly the ball to the green either way. And that's why I say it's great for the championship."

World No. 1 Luke Donald opened up with a level-par 70 despite a mixed day with the driver. He said: "I am a little disappointed to be honest. I felt that if you can get the ball on the fairway you can make a score. It is a course you can attack from the fairway and I did not drive the ball very well. 15 is a brute of a long par three, I hit a poor shot and paid the penalty. I am trying to feed off all my good play, but I was disappointed with the driver and need to sharpen up off the tee."

Bubba Watson slipped to a four-over 74 after getting to four-under at one stage. He said: "It was very tough. The golf course is a very difficult golf course. The fairways are hard to hit with all the bunkers and the water. It's a tough golf course. I was 3 under, 4 under at one time, so I know I can do it. But you know, it's a learning process. Pretty much your whole life is learning. I'm going to take a lot from today, but hopefully going forward it might not work tomorrow, it might not work this week, it might not work the rest of this year, but next year hopefully it'll work."

Matteo Manassero produced a fine round of 68 and he said: "I am happy with the round. Conditions are tough and it is warm, really warm. But the toughest thing is the course. If you miss the green or the fairway you are in trouble. I enjoyed my round. I did not do a lot wrong apart from finding water on the fourth hole."

Shaun Micheel found some form from nowhere to card a 66. He said: "I drove the ball well and kept the ball in play most of the day. I hot most of the greens and made some putts early. It was important to get off to a good start as it was a difficult day. I've had a lot going on in my life over the last eight or nine months, some health issues, but I always seem to find a way of getting up for the majors. I like challenging courses as I have always been a pretty good ball striker."

Adam Scott bogeyed his final two holes to drop down to 69 and he said "It's obviously very demanding off the tee, but the speed of the greens is very tough to judge. It's not easy to get a ball to the hole and not have it run 5-6 feet by."

John Senden opened up with a round of 68 and he said: "It felt good. I drove the ball nicely and it set the scene for my round. I got birdies on three and five and kept driving well and had lots of chances. I bogeyed the last and it is impossible to go for the green, but I am happy with the way I played and any score under par at a major is good."

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