Rory McIlroy has claimed that his form with his driver is giving him a "big advantage" at the USPGA Championship.

The Northern Irishman carded a first-round 67 at Kiawah Island on Thursday and he admits that his quality off the tee will keep him in contention over the weekend in South Carolina.

"When you're hitting it in the fairway and you're hitting it long, it gives you a big advantage over a good percentage of the field," McIlroy said. "Like, for instance, I was going in with a little wedge on six. It's 480 yards, where maybe the rest of the field might be going in with something longer. It gives you an opportunity to get to some of these par-fives in two, as well."

"I've got my lines off the tees and I know what it's like around the greens. I think that was any first bogey free round in a while, and it's always nice to shoot a round with no bogeys."

McIlroy will begin his second round with Dustin Johnson and Jim Furyk later this evening.