VIRGINIA WATER, England — British fans, starved of top-notch golf for seven months, turned out in their droves for the BMW PGA Championship first round on Thursday and the main attraction was world number one Rory McIlroy.
The Florida-based Northern Irishman, back on home soil for the first time since October, was less than satisfied with an opening one-under-par 71 and showed his displeasure with the occasional flash of indiscipline.
Defending champion McIlroy tossed his club across the fairway in frustration after playing an errant second at the par-five 17th.
"I felt myself getting a bit angry out there which I haven't been doing the last few weeks," he told reporters at the European Tour's flagship event.