The opening round of the US PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club produced an unprecedented logjam at the top of the leaderboard, with seven players sharing the lead on three-under-par 67. World number one Scottie Scheffler was among the frontrunners in a day that saw a record number of players within striking distance of the lead in a major championship.
Congested Leaderboard
By the time play concluded, 42 players were within three shots of the lead, and a third of the entire field remained in contention. The packed leaderboard featured 16 major winners, including Scheffler, who looms as a formidable threat to his rivals. The tournament had been billed as a potential birdie fest, but instead, it turned into a grind, with players battling the challenging layout.
Penalty and Strong Recovery
South African Garrick Higgo was penalised two shots for arriving 30 seconds late to the first tee from the practice green. Despite the setback, he carded a 69 and remained in the mix. The incident highlighted the day's peculiar nature, where even a player who lost two shots before starting could still contend.
McIlroy's Struggles
Rory McIlroy endured a disastrous finish, making four consecutive bogeys on his final four holes to end at four-over-par 74. It marked the first time in his major career that he had suffered such a collapse. When asked to summarise his round, McIlroy offered a blunt one-word assessment: "Shit." He later elaborated, saying, "I started missing fairways. From there, it's hard." McIlroy admitted he had misjudged the course, which features canted fairways and cambered greens, making accuracy essential.
DeChambeau's Difficult Day
Bryson DeChambeau finished six-over after a round that included an iron shot hitting a grandstand, another landing on a bar porch, and a 30-foot putt rolling 60 feet past the hole. DeChambeau, who has prioritised growing his YouTube following, may now have time to work on translations for his videos after likely missing the cut.
Injuries and Slow Play
The wayward shots led to several spectator injuries, with one marshal struck by a divot from Jon Rahm. The pace of play was criticised, with rounds taking five and a half hours by the end of the day. Nicolai Høgaard complained about the slow pace, while he and others like Brooks Koepka, Jason Day, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, and Cam Smith finished on one-under.
Leaders and Contenders
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed were among those one shot ahead of the chasing pack. The seven leaders at three-under were Scheffler, Aldrich Potgieter, Stephan Jaeger, Min Woo Lee, Ryo Hisatsune, Martin Kaymer, and Alex Smalley. With 36 holes remaining, the tournament remains wide open, but Scheffler's presence looms large over the field.
