Rory McIlroy sets early pace at 2022 PGA Championship with blistering opening round as Tiger Woods struggles

Rory McIlroy ended April's Masters with a bang, and he maintained his blistering form at the 2022 PGA Championship on Thursday.

Just over a month after finishing with a final-round 64 at Augusta National -- including a brilliant chip-in from a bunker on the 18th -- to finish second and a couple of shots behind winner Scottie Scheffler, the Northern Irishman carded a five-under 65 to take a one-shot lead from Thursday's early starters.

In an up-and-down 18 holes at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a run of four consecutive birdies for McIlroy on his opening nine holes helped propel him to the top of the leaderboard.