The 16th at Quail Hollow could well decide the PGA Championship come Sunday evening.
A daunting 535-yard par four, it is playing as the hardest hole on the course and has already claimed some major scalps.
GettyMcIlroy started slowly on a low-scoring course[/caption]Thursday’s opening round saw just four birdies on the hole with a whopping 50 bogeys and 9 doubles or worse.
It is playing over 0.4 shots over its par and comfortably tops the stats as the toughest hole ahead of the 17th and 9th.
Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Xander Schauffele were paired together for Thursday’s opening round and completed the 16th a combined six-over.
Masters champion McIlroy fell victim to the trees left of the fairway and carded his first double-bogey at Quail Hollow since 2010.
Scheffler and Schauffele then both found the water to join McIlroy in recording doubles.
It was quite the horror show from the day’s marquee group and Sky Sports commentator Nick Dougherty didn’t mince his words.
An ‘absolute pig’s ear’ was his damning verdict from the booth.
McIlroy will now be aiming to bounce back quickly and become the first player to win the first two majors of the year since Jordan Spieth in 2015.
He has it all to do, however, sitting at 3-over and way off the pace set by Jhonattan Vegas who leads after the opening round at 7-under.
Scheffler, meanwhile, fought his way back to 2-under par and is in a good position heading into day two at Quail Hollow.
GettyThe Northern Irishman endured his worst hole at Quail Hollow for 15 years[/caption] GettyScheffler took a dip in the drink[/caption]Defending champion Schaufelle also struggled, ending the day at 1-over with the cut line expected to be that number.
Scheffler and Schauffele were both victims of ‘mud balls’ on the 16th hole.
And the World No.1 has hit out at the decision not to allow preferred lies, saying it cost him two shots in the first round of the PGA Championship.
On the trio all suffering a horror show on the 16th, Scheffler joked: “I kept the honour with making a double on a hole.
“And I think that will probably be the first and last time I do that in my career unless we get some crazy weather conditions.
“It’s one of those deals where it’s frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it’s going to go.
“But I don’t make the rules. I just have to deal with the consequences of those rules.
“I did a good job of battling back today and not letting a bad break like that, which cost me a couple of shots, get to me.”
The marquee group of Scheffler, Schauffele and McIlroy will resume their tournaments at 6:47pm UK time on Friday.
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