Tiger Woods wants to compete in the PGA Championship after flying in for the practice round

Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm fired early warning shots yesterday with the US PGA Championship just three weeks away.

Despite fitness struggles, Woods, 46, proved his decision to post his entry for Southern Hills wasn’t wishful thinking as he jetted to Tulsa for a practice lap at the site of his 13th Major win.

As Woods tested his game in Oklahoma, world No. 2 Rahm made five birdies and an eagle two in a seven-under-65 to share the early lead at the Mexico Open in Vidanta.

“It was as solid a round as I played this year,” said Rahm, who hasn’t won since winning the US Open at Torrey Pines last June. The Basque tied on points with Jonathan Byrd, Brendon Todd, Trey Mullinax and Bryson Nimmer, a shot ahead of England’s Aaron Rai and US duo Aaron Wise and Sahith Theegala.

On the DP World Tour, Tom McKibbin (19) carved a level par 72 to lead the Irish Challenge at the Catalunya Championship at PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness’s Stadium Course near Girona.

He finished tied 51st, six shots behind Denmark’s Jeff Winther and South Africa’s Oliver Bekker and Darren Fichardt, who opened with 66 seconds.

Jonathan Caldwell was a shot off the projected cutting line after a 73, while Kilkenny’s Luke Donnelly shot a 76 and Cormac Sharvin a 79.

Meanwhile, Tulfarris pro Simon Thornton earned three DP World Tour starts when he finished a shot outside of a playoff for the 54-hole PGA Playoffs at PGA National Slieve Russell.

The former European Tour winner finished with two under 70 to finish on a six under par and secured starts at the Cazoo Open, Cazoo Classic and Scottish Hero Open when Scotsman Greig Hutcheon defeated England’s Adam Keogh at the second extra with a par hit hole. Hutcheon’s third win at the event earned him seven starts, including the BMW PGA, the Horizon Irish Open and next week’s Betfred British Masters.

At the LPGA Championships in Palos Verdes, California, Minjee Lee shot an eight-under 63 to take the lead through a shot from world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, while Stephanie Meadow, who was two-under after seven holes, when Leona Maguire slipped to a two over 73 had 33 putts in a 74.

Elsewhere, Pádraig Harrington joins Darren Clarke at the Insperity Invitational in Texas for the first of five straight events, including two Senior Majors and the PGA Championship.

Catalonia Championship, 1 p.m
Mexico Championship, 6 p.m
JTBC Championship, 10:30 p.m
(All Live Sky Sports)