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Key events
Finally: a threat to Scottie Scheffler’s calm. The World No. 1 finds sand beside the 467 yard par-four 6th green and splashes out to 10 feet. He shuffles in behind the ball and lines it up outside the right edge … but it doesn’t come back to the hole. A first bogey of the day and he falls back to -2.
Jon Rahm has not got off to a good start. Bogeys at the 2nd, the 4th – and now the 5th. “I don’t think my game (has) any sort of issues,” he insisted earlier this week. “I didn’t play good at Augusta, but so far I haven’t missed a top 10 (on LIV this year).”
Steady from Scheffler since the whizz-bang intro. But at the short par-four 4th he gives himself a good look at a birdie from 13 feet. He holes it! He’s -3 through 4 and closing on the leaders.
-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (F), Moore (F)
Talking of Dustin Johnson – he could only manage a 73 today. He finished second in this championship in both 2019 and 2020. Since then he has broken 73 just once once in nine event rounds (including today). He also missed the cut at the Masters last month after rounds of 78-79. DJ has lost his rhythm.
A terrifying prospect thrown out there by Luke Donald on Sky Sports. For the field, that is. He remembers how he enjoyed his career-best season after the birth of his first child. “It grounds you,” he argues. The thing is, Scottie Scheffler doesn’t really need grounding. Donald also reveals that Dustin Johnson watched footage of Scheffler’s opening eagle in the locker room and said that golf would soon catch up with the World No. 1.
Here’s that remarkable introduction from Scottie Scheffler. Just glorious.
The key to Bob MacIntyre’s top 20 last week and excellent round of 66 today? The Scot has just said it was home comforts. “It was spending some time back at home in Scotland,” he told the media. “It’s no secret I’ve been living in America. It’s been tough. It’s not like Oban.”
Bryson DeChambeau completed a round of 68. A solid start which sees him tie the likes of Cameron Smith, Max Homa and a revived Viktor Hovland in the clubhouse. A less likely name on that score is Martin Kaymer who is one month shy of a three year top 10 drought. The German won this championship in 2010 and also claimed the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst which is where the year’s third major returns next month. Good timing for any return to form, therefore.
This is getting silly – now Francesco Molinari has holed out from the fairway! He was +1 through 3 but, after finding the bottom of the cup from 92 yards at the short par-four 14th, he’s in the red at -1. It prompts a lovely smile from the popular Italian and more cheers from galleries that can’t believe what they’re seeing. (It’s not all champagne and roses – Open champion Brian Harman has just topped a shot from a fairway bunker).
There’s often talk of a Nappy Factor in golf. It’s the notion that becoming a father has a positive impact on results. You’d have thought such a thing impossible for a man with form figures of 1-1-2-1-1 yet Scheffler’s opening blow comes close.
Here’s the top of the leaderboard as the morning wave tucks into lunch. The leading seven might be wondering how long it will take Scheffler to join them after that extraordinary eagle to start with.
-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (F)
Preposterous! What can Scottie Scheffler NOT do? He’s just drained his 167-yard approach to the 1st! “He’s a machine,” says Laura Davies on Sky Sports. Scheffler himself just chuckles away with caddie Ted Scott.
The defending champion Brooks Koepka has signed his first round card. A 67, it currently has him tied sixth. He recently said of majors: “The big thing that separates me is my ability to lock in and go some place I think a lot of guys can’t go.” After his round he said: “I just stayed patient. That’s what majors are all about. You can’t win it today, but you just try to hang around and give yourself a chance or in a good spot come Sunday.”
Bob MacIntyre has completed an opening round of 66 to sit tied third with Rory McIlroy. He was bogey-free as he chases a third major championship top 10. The first two came in the Open in 2019 and 2021.
Jon Rahm hammers his opening tee shot at the 1st to the fairway fringe. The Spaniard hasn’t lifted a trophy since he won the Masters last April and his defence of the green jacket was a poor one. He carded 73-76-72-76 to finish 45th. Many Masters champions struggle to defend so he’ll be hoping to get back on the bike. He’s finished top 10 in half of the 24 majors he has played since the start of 2018.
The 2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa has opened his 2024 account with a drive to the 1st fairway (just). Valhalla was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and Morikawa has claimed victory on three different Golden Bear-created layouts – Montreux, Muirfield Village and The Concession. His 192-yard approach has just plummeted into the front greenside bunker, however.
Eagle for Bryson DeChambeau! It’s been a quiet day for the 2020 US Open champion but he’s just holed a 51-yard pitch for a three at the par-five 7th. He’s now -2 with two holes to play.
It’s been an electric start to the year’s second major. Scott’s work on the early wave has been akin to standing on a motorway bridge, frantically scribbling the registration plates of every passing vehicle. So thank you, Scott, you deserve a lie down. And hello all – here’s hoping for more of the same with the afternoon starters.
Time to hand over the reins of this hole-by-hole blog to the one and only Matt Cooper. He’ll take it home, and I’ll see you again tomorrow afternoon. Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks right now, with the second wave – including the world number-one Scottie Scheffler – ready to start their bid.
-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (16*)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (17)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (17*), Theegala (16*)
Rory McIlroy talks to Sky. “I rode my luck a little bit [on 1] … I took advantage of my ball not being in the sand [at 6] … I hope I drive it a little bit better, like Rory 2014 … fairway woods were OK … if I can put the ball on the fairway a bit more … my game in terms of putting, scrambling and iron play is coming together … if I can do all that the way I have been, and just hit a few more fairways with the driver, I’m feeling pretty good.”
Brooks Koepka is making a move all right! He drains a monster across 8 and all of a sudden he’s right in the mix at -4.
Tiger speaks to Sky. “It was a grind … I struggled with the speed of the greens … I should have been under par but ended over par … we’ve got a long way to go … it’s a big-boy course now … it’s a lot bigger or maybe I’ve just gotten shorter!”
Another big eagle, this time on 18, as Adam Hadwin turns an average round into a fine opening 68 in one fell swoop. He’s -3.
The defending champion Brooks Koepka creams his second at the par-five 7th from 211 yards to a couple of feet, and tidies up for his eagle. He’s -3 and he’s successfully defended this championship before.
McIlroy cards 66
A garden-variety par for Rory McIlroy up the 9th. He’s back in 31 strokes, and signs for a 66. That round threatened to spiral out of control in the middle, some thoroughly average driving getting him into all sorts. But a couple of scrambled pars, at 16 and 18, followed by an outrageous birdie at 1 after hitting the flagstick from 165 yards, got him back on track, after which he took full advantage of the momentum. Xander Schauffele will of course be delighted with his round of 62 … but he’ll also be looking over his shoulder at the man who caused him so much grief in North Carolina last weekend. He’s not going away.
-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (15*)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (17)
Some Jean van de Veldeian capers for Cameron Smith down the par-five 7th. He sends his drive into shallow water, so takes off his shoes and socks, rolls up his breeks, and batters his second back out onto the fairway. All good knockabout fun, and well worth it too, as he escapes the hole with a par. He remains at -3.
Xander Schauffele, PGA Championship record breaker, speaks to Sky Sports. “It’s just a great start … I still have three more rounds to play … we got put on the clock and I just got in a rhythm … nobody ahead of us and I got the ball rolling … I’ve cleaned up a lot of action in my swing, which has been very helpful.”
Another careless three-putt bogey for Tiger Woods, this time at 9. Very avoidable errors, back to back, and he’s signing for a one-over 72.
Two putts for Rory on 8. The first never reaching, but it had enough pace for the second to be a formality. He remains at -5.
A really fine fighting par for Tony Finau at 5. Having sent his drive into thick filth down the right, he powers his ball out to the front of the green. Imagine the strength; Cameron Smith was only able to hack out from a similar spot. His long first putt isn’t great, but he rolls in the eight-footer he leaves himself and that keeps him three off the lead at -6. Meanwhile up on 8, Rory McIlroy – who converted his birdie at 7, his third in a row – finds the heart of the green and will have a look from 20 feet to make it four.
-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (14*)
-5: McIlroy (16*), MacIntyre (15)
-4: Kohles (F)
-3: Smith (15*), Homa (14*), Spieth (14*), Theegala (14*)
Schauffele shoots 62, a new PGA Championship record!
Xander Schauffele faces an uphill putt from 30 feet. He gives it a good roll, ensuring at least he doesn’t leave it short, so he won’t die wondering. But it breaks to the right near the end and he’s got a tricky three-footer for par. But he’s not making any mistakes today, and that’s a blemish-free round of 62! He ties the lowest round in major-championship history – something he’d already done at the US Open last year – and breaks the scoring record at the PGA! What a round of golf. Outstanding, especially in the light of the disappointment he suffered at Quail Hollow last Sunday!
-9: Schauffele (F)
A really clumsy three-putt bogey for Tiger on 8. A 40-foot birdie effort sent sailing 12 feet past. He can’t make the one coming back, and there goes the shot he’d just picked up at 7. He’s back to level par. Meanwhile on the par-five 7th, Rory McIlroy gently clips his third to a couple of feet, and will surely be moving to -5 shortly.
Xander Schauffele sends his second into 9 from 137 yards. He yelps in mild irritation as he can only find the heart of the green. It’s hardly a disaster, as he’ll have two putts from 30 feet for a round of 62, but he’ll still be dreaming of a record-breaking 61. So in that respect, it’s not ideal. Big putt coming up!
Xander Schauffele clips a 3-wood down the centre of 18. Up on the green, a birdie for Ben Kohles, who signs for a superb 67; not a bad start to his PGA Championship career, huh? He’s -4. Meanwhile up on 5, Max Homa sends a tramliner into the cup from 40 feet. It’s his third birdie in a row, and suddenly he’s right amongst it as well. To repeat, reiterate and ram home: it is all happening.
-9: Schauffele (17*)
-6: Finau (13*)
-5: MacIntyre (15)
-4: Kohles (F), McIlroy (15*), Homa (14*)
-3: Kaymer (16), Smith (14*), Spieth (13*), Theegala (13*)
Eagle-eyed leaderboard enthusiasts will have spotted the absence of Cameron Smith at -4. That’s because he couldn’t scramble his par on 5. Meanwhile birdie for Tiger at 7 and he’s back into the red. And back on 4, Tony Finau isn’t far away from holing out with his second, but birdie will be more than sufficient and he takes sole ownership of second spot at -6. It is all happening.
Rory McIlroy takes advantage of a big stroke of luck at 6. His second should by rights drop into a bunker to the left of the green, but instead somehow sticks on a little inlet of turf at the top. He’s left with a very inviting chip … which he carefully clips in for birdie! He’s now -4 and what a turnaround this is. Meanwhile on 8, Xander Schauffele gets his relief from the drain cover, then clips a wedge up the swale to a couple of feet. He tidies up for a par. One more, and he’ll be signing for a 62. The dream, of course, is birdie. God speed, Xander.
-9: Schauffele (17*)
-5: MacIntyre (14), Finau (12*)
-4: McIlroy (15*)
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