PGA Championship 2015 scores: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth make late runs up leaderboard

The first round of the final major championship of the season is in the books and the names we expected near the top of the leaderboard are there. Perhaps the least surprising development of the day was Dustin Johnson setting the early pace and going to bed with the 18-hole. It's a spot he's enjoyed all summer at the major championships, and he was always going to be in it at this PGA on a venue where he's succeeded.

Johnson immediately challenged every hole at Whistling Straits off the tee, telling his coach Butch Harmon he planned to "send it all day." He used his length to cut corners and push the limit that other players can't touch. He opened with two straight birdies and then poured in an eagle at the 16th to go out in 32 on his first nine. When DJ has it working, Rory McIlroy is really the only player out there with the talent to keep up with him. The issue for Johnson, of course, is putting it together for 72 holes and keeping it together on Sunday. The tee-to-green game will be there all weekend -- it has been all summer. But if his putter is steady, and he can roll in a couple bombs like that eagle, he'll get his first major championship.

.@DJohnsonPGA sinks a 27-footer on the 16th hole for eagle. #SapphireonLocation #PGAChamp http://t.co/MlDEx9NpmJ

— PGA.COM (@PGA_com) August 13, 2015

Harmon told Golf Channel that DJ felt like this course "owed him one" and maybe that's how this will work out over the next three days. We've learned not to get too hyped about the first 18 holes with DJ, but here he is again.

It became pretty clear that Johnson's 6-under 66 would hold up in the afternoon. The wind picked up off Lake Michigan and the marquee tee time of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Zach Johnson all played through the toughest conditions of the day. The McIlroy-Spieth duel was the main event of the day, the first two rounds and maybe the next 20 years. But it was slow-going early on as both struggled to get into the red.

McIlroy admitted he was very nervous on the first tee, making his return after a 53-day layoff due to that nasty ankle injury. He started with a sloppy bogey but after that, he'd settle in nicely for an even-par 36 on the front nine. The stretch included a remarkable par save from a water hazard, but not before Rory slipped and fell on a hill climbing out of the drink. The par was one of the highlights of the day and it was clear by the turn that his ankle had gotten the test it needed and was good to go for the championship.

Rory found his groove on the inward nine and got all the way to 2-under which, given the circumstances, was pretty remarkable. The swing looked as pretty as ever and despite a bogey at the last, he's right there and inside the top 25 after his comeback round.

The expectations were a little higher for Spieth. He wasn't coming off a long injury layoff and there was the added pressure of facing the world No. 1 in the same group. Until the back nine, it was a grind for Spieth. He started with 10 straight pars. Some of them were saves and a few others he said he was surprised "didn't catch a lip and fall in." So there was definitely some frustration for Spieth, who caught the tougher end of the draw. After a disappointing bogey at the par-5 11th, Spieth woke up and responded with his first birdie of the day. He didn't need his putter to do it.

.@JordanSpieth's first birdie of the day was a beauty. #SapphireOnLocation #PGAChamp http://t.co/LNGyF4oH2s

— PGA.COM (@PGA_com) August 13, 2015

He added another red number at the 16th, which he characterized as "stealing a couple birdies" down the stretch. A couple huge saves at the 15th and 17th ensured he would post an under-par round in tough conditions and maybe with his C+ game. Both McIlroy and Spieth getting in the house in the red just reaffirmed their talent -- some improved conditions early Friday morning might have them pushing DJ before lunch.

One player who was out on Thursday in the favorable conditions but could not take advantage was Tiger Woods. The four-time PGA Championship winner was not as awful as the preceding two majors, but his putter went ice cold. He missed birdie after birdie chance while younger talents like DJ, Jason Day, and Hideki Matsuyama started to outpace and run away from him. Tiger's 3-over 75 puts him on the wrong side of the cut line and if he gets a windy course on Friday afternoon, it's likely we watch his last round of the season on the PGA Tour.

After DJ is David Lingmerth, who may have had the round of the day posting his 5-under during the afternoon. Lingmerth said the wind and course were brutally tough until the last 30 minutes or so of his round, but he's sitting pretty after 18 holes. Here's where the full field is at heading to Friday at Whistling Straits: