Scottie Scheffler is part of a seven-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, Pennsylvania. The world No. 1 player carded a 3-under 67 on Thursday, sharing the top spot with Martin Kaymer, Stephan Jaeger, Aldrich Potgieter, Min Woo Lee, Ryo Hisatsune, and Alex Smalley.
Key Takeaways
Scottie Scheffler is part of a seven-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, Pennsylvania. He carded a 3-under 67 on Thursday, sharing the top spot with six other golfers.
This marks the largest logjam in the opening round of a major championship since nine players shared the lead in the 1969 PGA Championship. Scheffler's round included two long birdie putts and a fortunate break on the par-3 17th hole, where he received free relief due to his ball being close to a sprinkler cap.
Scheffler acknowledged the challenging conditions at Aronimink, noting that hitting fairways was crucial for lower scores. 'Definitely the best start I've gotten off to this year,' Scheffler said after the round. He also mentioned that making birdies was particularly difficult on Thursday due to the course's demanding layout.
Rory McIlroy struggled with a 4-over 74, bogeying his last four holes. Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka finished at even par, while Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas carded rounds of 2-under-par. The second round is scheduled for Friday morning.
McIlroy's practice session was cut short due to a blister on his right pinky toe, which he has been dealing with since the Truist Championship. Despite the discomfort, McIlroy remained optimistic about his performance in the tournament. Justin Rose expressed his familiarity and comfort with the Aronimink course, citing its similarity to courses in England.
Jon Rahm is seeking his third major title at the PGA Championship, aiming to complete a Spanish Grand Slam by winning all four majors. He reflected on the historical success of Spanish golfers in other majors but noted that the PGA Championship has been elusive for Spain. Additionally, Scottie Scheffler shared his off-course interests, including owning a professional fishing team.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 8 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.