Rory McIlroy nine off lead at Baltusrol

The Northern Irishman had three bogeys in his first seven holes in a birdie-free round at the final major of 2016.

American Jimmy Walker leads on five under, one clear of England's Ross Fisher, Martin Kaymer of Germany and Emiliano Grillo of Argentina.

Defending champion Jason Day and England's Andrew Johnston carded 70s.

Johnston, who goes by the nickname 'Beef', delighted crowds at The Open earlier in July and the Englishman was again centre of attention in New Jersey, high-fiving spectators on his way to the green after playing a remarkable shot under tree branches but over a scoreboard on the 15th.

His compatriot Andy Sullivan birdied three of his last four holes to finish with a three-under 67.

"I'm buzzing with that start," said the former supermarket worker, who has finished 12th, sixth and fifth in his last three events.

The US PGA Championship traditionally puts the winners of the year's three previous majors together for the opening two rounds so Masters champion Danny Willett, US Open winner Dustin Johnson and Open victory Henrik Stenson were the marquee group.

World number five Stenson, who held off Phil Mickelson to win The Open at Troon earlier in July, fared the best of the trio with five birdies and two bogeys in his three-under 67.

American Johnson, ranked second in the world, had a dreadful opening, with a double bogey and three bogeys in his first seven holes.

A birdie on the par-three ninth was the only highlight in his seven-over 77 that featured another double bogey on the 11th and a bogey on the par-five 18th after his drive landed in water.

Englishman Willett opened with five pars but a birdie and two bogeys in the next four holes saw him reach the turn in one over and that is how he stayed after birdies on the 15th and 18th cancelled out bogeys on the 11th and 13th holes.

The US PGA Championship traditionally puts the winners of the year's three previous majors together for the opening two rounds so Masters champion Danny Willett, US Open winner Dustin Johnson and Open victory Henrik Stenson were the marquee group.

World number five Stenson, who held off Phil Mickelson to win The Open at Troon earlier in July, fared the best of the trio with five birdies and two bogeys in his three-under 67.

American Johnson, ranked second in the world, had a dreadful opening, with a double bogey and three bogeys in his first seven holes.

A birdie on the par-three ninth was the only highlight in his seven-over 77 that featured another double bogey on the 11th and a bogey on the par-five 18th after his drive landed in water.

Englishman Willett opened with five pars but a birdie and two bogeys in the next four holes saw him reach the turn in one over and that is how he stayed after birdies on the 15th and 18th cancelled out bogeys on the 11th and 13th holes.

The last year in which all four majors were claimed by first-time winners was 2011, when Charl Schwartzel won the US Masters, McIlroy the US Open, Darren Clarke The Open and Keegan Bradley the US PGA.

Walker, who won five times between October 2013 and March 2015 but has struggled this year, would join Willett, Johnson and Stenson as a first-time winner if he were to hold on.

"I feel like I've prepared and I'm ready to go," said the 37-year-old. "Winning a major would be huge but there's three days to go.

"It's been a stale and stagnant year. I haven't been making the 18-footers you need to make to start running up the leaderboard and to have high finishes."

The British challenge

Fisher leads the way after carding five birdies in his four-under 66. "I've got off to a great start, but I'm not going to sit back on that," he said.

Fellow Englishmen Chris Wood, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood - who finished with a birdie and an eagle on the final two holes, both par fives - opened with one-under-par 69s, the same score as Welsh duo Bradley Dredge and Jamie Donaldson.

England's Justin Rose battled back from two over after 10 to finish level par, while Scotland's Russell Knox birdied the ninth, his last, to also post 70.

(BBC)