Golf
Michael Collins, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Michael Collins' Round 1 PGA Championship grades

Golf

HAVEN, Wis. -- I guess in academic terms we'd call this last major of the year "the finals." It's the last chance these guys will have to "impress" the professor (me). Don't worry; calling myself a professor is like anyone with an honorary doctorate thinking they can work in an ER.

Here's how this works (only the smart people will read this part). Each grade is based on each player's performance for the round. The individual grades are not judged against another player. For example, Rory's grade has zero to do with Jordan's grade. Now that we've got that straight, here are Round 1 grades for this year's PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy

Grade: C+
World ranking: No. 1
Score: 71 (-1)

Rusty. That's the best way I can describe Rory's day. As great as it was when people saw his video on social media showing him hitting his driver, it was that club that was the most troublesome during Thursday's round. Getting it in under par earned McIlroy the plus. The difficult thing now will be tempering expectation for Friday, as it will still only be his second day back playing tournament golf after an extended absence.


Jordan Spieth

Grade: C-
World ranking: No. 2
Score: 71 (-1)

The world No. 2 does not have the rust excuse. What he can point to for his minus is that putter. It was very inconsistent for much of the round (remember his first birdie was a chip-in). The ball-striking also was not as clean as I was hoping to see from a guy trying to win his third major of the year. Maybe it was just nerves, including playing with McIlroy. Tomorrow, I expect Spieth's game to be tightened up if he's going to give this third title a realistic chance.


Bubba Watson

Grade: C
World ranking: No. 3
Score: 72 (E)

He didn't play great, but I'm going to give Bubba some serious credit here. In most cases when he says he doesn't like a golf course, he's missing the cut before the first round is over. Not this year. One good round on Friday, and Watson could have memories of 2010 dancing in his head again. That would be good news for everyone.


Jim Furyk

Grade: B-
World ranking: No. 4
Score: 73 (+1)

What makes Furyk the ultimate grinder on the PGA Tour right now? Because at his age, on a course he despises, he won't mail it in. The man had to hit 3-wood in to the 18th hole today after "striping a drive," according to Bubba Watson. Sure, he made a couple mistakes, bogeying two of the par 5s, but instead of shrugging his shoulders, he might still make the weekend. That is the mark of a true professional others should strive to emulate.


Jason Day

Grade: B
World ranking: No. 5
Score: 68 (-4)

"Here We Go Again," should be Day's theme song for the last couple majors. He put himself exactly where he needs to be going into Round 2. Three birdies, an eagle and only one bogey on the fourth-hardest hole on the course (No. 6) means he could get a crack in that major glass ceiling with a good Friday round.


Justin Rose

Grade: C+
World ranking: No. 6
Score: 69 (-3)

A bad start really could have sent his tournament off the rails, but Rose fought back like the major champion he is, playing his final 14 holes 5-under. Now, instead of having to work to make the cut, Rose can focus on the top of the leaderboard and try to earn his second major title.


Rickie Fowler

Grade: C-
World ranking: No. 7
Score: 73 (+1)

"See, what had happened was ... " That's what Fowler had to be thinking after making a quadruple-bogey on the par-3 third hole. The good news? Fowler made six birdies on the day. More bad news? Three bogeys and a quad means he'll have to grind Friday to make the cut, instead of playing to win his first major.


Dustin Johnson

Grade: A
World ranking: No. 8
Score: 66 (-6)

I can't give Johnson an A+ for two reasons. First, he made a bogey, and second, he played in the easier side of the draw. That being said, Johnson continues to prove how great his ability is to have a short memory. I don't know one other player who could have the epic collapses Johnson has had and come back the way he did Thursday. Karma might come full circle for him this week.


Henrik Stenson

Grade: F
World ranking: No. 9
Score: 76 (+4)

One birdie is all Stenson could manage, and that came after he dropped three bogeys and a double. The most disappointing aspect of the round was that he only missed two fairways all day, which means his iron play was horrid. Even in a major, the frustration for a top-ranked player missing greens from the fairway is almost as bad as the disappointment this professor feels giving Stenson the worst grade of the day.


Sergio Garcia

Grade: C
World ranking: No. 10
Score: 72 (E)

At one point, with six holes remaining in his round, Garcia was 3 under and looking like a threat to the lead. (Sigh.) Three bogeys in those last six holes, and it's sayonara to that first major. Okay, that might be a bit fatalist, but Garcia will have to completely turn around his performance in Round 2 to have even a glimmer of hope at his first major win.


Tiger Woods

Grade: D-
World ranking: 278
Score: 75 (+3)

The putter was awful, and he knew it. "Probably on of the worst putting rounds I've had in a very long time," Woods said after his round. But he is straight delusional when it came to his ball-striking. "Well, I hit it great today." And "Good news is I had complete control of the golf ball." Um, Tiger hit only half of the fairways and missed six greens. It might be time for a reality intervention, or he's subconsciously letting his fans know what to expect of him from now on. I hope for the sake of everyone the second part isn't true.


David Lingmerth

Grade: A
World ranking: 45
Score: 67 (-5)

This is one of those great examples of how winning breeds confidence -- and confidence in golf can change everything. Lingmerth wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination Thursday, but his putter was on point. Trust in that club grows tenfold after winning. I'd be lying if I said he's got the moxie to keep this up for three more days, but at least for Day 1, he is one of the big boys.


Brian Gaffney

Grade: A
World ranking: N/A
Score: 71 (-1)

As the only club pro to shoot under par in Round 1, Gaffney deserves the A-grade, especially after making seven birdies. What also impressed me was how he scored better on the more difficult front nine even after making a double-bogey on the 18th. One more great round like that, and he'll get to play the weekend and make all fellow club pros in the industry extremely proud and a little jealous.


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