Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy will be looking to getting past Jordan Spieth as he looks to defend his PGA Championship this yearReuters

All eyes will be on World No. 1 golfer Rory McIlroy as he returns to defend the USA PGA Championship crown today at the Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

The 26-year-old missed the British Open Championship last month after he ruptured his ankle ligament while playing a casual game of soccer just days prior to the start of the golfing major.

But now, having recovered, he is raring to go once again and dominate the course that he has bossed two times in the past already.

"I honestly thought it was going to be harder than it was," McIlroy told USA Today, referring to his absence from golf for many days due to the injury.

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"I thought I was going to miss it [golf] more than I did. But if anything, having to sit those tournaments out — especially the Open Championship at St. Andrews, which is probably my favorite venue in the world — gave me a huge sense of perspective.

"When you're playing week in, week out and you're thinking about winning these tournaments, you get so wrapped up in what you're doing and your own little life and your own little bubble, sometimes you forget there's a bigger, wider world out there," the Northern Irishman added.

Apart from McIlroy, all eyes will be on World No 2 Jordan Spieth, who has already lifted two of the golfing majors – the Masters Tournament as well as the US Open -- this calendar year.

The American missed out on the British Open to compatriot Zach Johnson, but the prospect of teeing off with McIlroy and Johnson for 36 holes in the US PGA, is one mouthwatering affair.

"I think that's just what you guys [in the media] want to see," Guardian quoted Spieth as saying, when he was reminded that he is teeing off with McIlroy in the US PGA. "I think he [McIlroy] and I just want to go out there and try and win the tournament. We have to beat each other in order to do that, along with 100 and how many other people are in the event.

"I'm excited. I'm excited to just share a couple days with Rory and Zach Johnson, as well. I played with Zach last week, he's a good friend of mine. We're going to have a good time us three and hopefully we can all feed off each other these two days. Hopefully we can all get into contention and it will certainly be exciting," the Texan added.

The trio tee off at 1:20 pm local time (2:20 pm EST, 11:50 pm IST, 7:20pm BST).

On being asked who is better between him and Speith, McIlroy stated that at the end of the US PGA Championship, he will have an answer.

"I mean, if you were to go by this year, you would have to say Jordan. I would say if you go over the last two years, I would say it's probably a toss-up between Jordan and myself. That's a hard one. It's all a matter of opinion," McIlroy said.

Where to Watch Live

The US PGA Championship 2015 - first-round tee-off - starts at 7:45am EST (5:15pm IST, 12:45pm BST).

The championship will be broadcast in India on Ten Golf (11:30 pm onwards).

The UK audience can catch it live on Sky Sports 4 (7pm onwards). The live streaming option is on Sky Sports Live and Sky Go.

US residents can watch the golfing major at TNT (2-8 pm), with the option of live streaming HERE.

Live streaming is also available on the official website.