At P.G.A. Championship, Rory McIlroy is almost finished with his start

Still he had some in mind to make the cut. At number 18 he told his caddy, Harry Diamond, that he wanted to photograph three of his nine on his back.

"I told Harry: & # 39; Let's not shoot any worse than I shot yesterday, & # 39;" he said.

In that first round 72, McIlroy didn't make a bird to the last hole. He had no less than 36 putts, who finished in 113th place in the category with the most important prizes. After Friday's round, he spoke as someone without much confidence instead of the best player in the world, which he was not so long ago.

"Those who did not go in could have gone in, and those who went in could have missed," McIlroy said.

But he caught fire, the flurry of little birds that came from 12 feet at number 4; of more than 23 feet at No. 5; from 22 feet on No. 6; and from just under 19 feet at No. 8.

"It's just a matter of not insisting too much, staying patient and letting the good wave come through," he said. "It took a while today, but it finally came."

McIlroy, who will lead Saturday's action 15 shots in addition to the lead, was a realist about the chances of claiming his fifth major title. He knew how difficult it would be to put a serious load on a course that was not built for comebacks.

"I don't have the feeling that I have some sort of momentum with me tomorrow," he said. . "I played a nice ninth back to make it the weekend, but tomorrow is a new day."

However, if he wants to stand a chance, he knows that one thing must change.

"Hopefully I can start just a little better," he said.