McIlroy out of bounds and out of luck at PGA event

Reuters: Rory McIlroy tossed his club to the ground after going out of bounds at the 12th hole as the world number one launched his PGA Championship challenge with a frustrating 74 at Wentworth on Thursday.

His two-over-par effort was two strokes better than his first-round 76 in the 2011 edition of the European Tour’s flagship event but that was of little consolation to the Northern Irishman.

“It was a bit of deja vu from last year,” McIlroy told reporters after finishing six strokes adrift of the early leaders. “I was two-under through seven holes and feeling like I was playing well.

“But then I made four bogeys in five holes so it’s pretty disappointing. I feel like I am playing well, I just need to go out there and shoot the score.”

McIlroy’s round unravelled in spectacular fashion after an errant second shot at the par-five 12th.

“I was trying to cut it in there, trying to hold it up against the wind, and I just double-crossed it,” the 23-year-old explained.

“It ended up out of bounds by about an inch.”

Such was his anguish over the blunder that he threw his club to the turf following his fourth stroke at the hole. “You think about the four par-fives on this course and you should be taking advantage of them,” said McIlroy, who has never won the PGA Championship.

“Standing on the first tee you’re thinking, ‘Three or four under par is the worst you should be shooting’.”