Xander Schauffele wasted no time at Valhalla on Thursday morning.
Schauffele went low to kick off the 106th PGA Championship. He posted a course-record 9-under 62 to grab an early three-shot lead over the field when he hit the clubhouse. His bogey-free round tied the lowest round in major championship history, something he’s now done twice.
Schauffele finished in second last week at the Wells Fargo Championship, which marked his eighth top-10 finish so far this season on the PGA Tour. He hasn’t won a major championship yet in his career, but he’s inside the top 20 at ever major since 2019. By all accounts, he’s due.
Though his early lead was impressive, it likely won’t hold. There’s still a lot of golf to be played on Thursday, let alone the rest of the week in Louisville. Tiger Woods stumbled to close out his round. He made back-to-back bogeys in his final two holes and carded a 1-over 72 in the early wave. Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, made three birdies in his final five holes to get to 5-under — which has him right in the mix.
There’s plenty of other burning questions to be answered this week, too. Will Brooks Koepka be able to repeat? Will Woods’ body hold up? And how many heaters will John Daly fire up during his round? (Let’s put the over-under at four.)
This is just Cam Smith hitting his second shot on No. 7 out of the water … and ultimately saving par.
Rory McIlroy in T3
Rory McIlroy missed a long birdie putt at the ninth, but he’s right in the mix after a solid opening round. McIlroy posted a 5-under 66, thanks to four birdies on his back nine, and now sits in T3.
It was his 19th career round of 66 or lower at a major.
Rory McIlroy: 19th career round of 66 or lower in major championships
Most rounds of 66 or better in majors, last 30 seasons: Tiger Woods, 28 Rory McIlroy, 19 Phil Mickelson, 18 Brooks Koepka, 17
After briefly getting into the red, Tiger Woods stumbled a bit to close out his opening round at Valhalla. He ended his day with a pair of bogeys after back-to-back 3-putts.
He finished with a 1-over 72. That has him in T55, 11 shots back of Xander Schauffele.
A perfect scorecard for Xander Schauffele.
Leaderboard reset
With Xander Schauffele’s historic round now complete, here’s an early look at where things stand at Valhalla.
Leaderboard:
1. Xander Schauffele (-9) (F)
2. Tony Finau (-6) (14*)
T3. Rory McIlroy (-5) (16*)
T3. Robert MacIntyre (-5) (15)
5. Ben Kohles (-4) (F)
Other Notables:
T9. Justin Thomas (-2) (F)
T9. Jordan Spieth (-2) (14*)
T19. Brooks Koepka (-1) (14*)
T31. Tiger Woods (E) (17*)
T78. Michael Block (+5) (F)
Yet To Tee Off:
Cam Davis
Jason Day
Phil Mickelson
Collin Morikawa
Rickie Fowler
Jon Rahm
Patrick Reed
Xander Schauffele sets course record
Xander Schauffele’s historic round is now officially in the books.
Schauffele posted a 9-under 62 to open the PGA Championship. That set a new course record at Valhalla, and gave him a 3-shot lead over the field in the early wave.
Schauffele’s bogey-free round surpassed José María Olazábal, who fired a 63 in his third round at Valhalla in 2000. The 62 tied the lowest round at a major championship in history, too, something he’s now done twice.
Max Homa bouncing back
Max Homa is finally making moves. He’s just made his third straight birdie, and his sixth of the day, to get to 3-under.
Tiger Woods back under par
Finally, after missing a few chances earlier, Tiger Woods is back in the red. Woods sank a birdie putt at the 7th, which marked his first birdie at a par 5 today.
He’s still well back of Xander Schauffele, but he’s T17 with two holes to go in his opening round. Not a bad spot to be.
Rory is hanging in there
After nearly landing in the bunker at No. 5, Rory McIlroy just pulled out a birdie chip-in. He’s at 3-under now in T4.
Xander Schauffele’s lead is at four now after a simple two-putt birdie at the par-5 7th. He’s at 9-under, and seriously looking at the new course record at Valhalla.
The plight of Xander
Here’s what Xander Schauffele is trying to overcome:
No, he hasn’t won a major yet, but he’s ALWAYS in contention. Outside of two missed cuts (Masters 2022, PGA 2021) and a T41 at the 2019 Open, he’s finished inside the top 20 at every major since 2019 — 17 of the last 20. That includes nine top 10s.
He’s got the game to win, he just needs to finish.
Tiger Woods just missed a very makeable birdie putt at No. 5. He’s hanging out at even par with four holes to go in his opening round.
Xander Schauffele is just a few birdies away from a historic opening round at Valhalla.
What’s in play for Xander: Lowest score at a PGA Championship round at Valhalla was Jose Maria Olazabal, who put a 63 on the board in 2000’s Round 3, per @EliasSports. Twelve players have shot 65.
It’s almost too easy for Xander Schauffele out there right now. He tapped-in for another birdie after just missing an eagle at No. 4 to grab a 3-shot lead over the field.
Rory looked pretty happy with this approach at No. 1.
He’s at 2-under now after a birdie to open his back nine.
Xander birdies again
Xander Schauffele just birdied again at the par-4 2nd. It’s one of the hardest holes on the course, and he stuck his approach just a few feet from the cup for an easy birdie putt.
He’s at 6-under now with a two shot lead.
Rory has cooled off
After a hot start, things have cooled off for Rory McIlroy, but he did manage to salvage par after making a mess of the 18th:
(PGA)
He’ll make the turn 1-under, four back of Schauffele.
Tiger makes turn at +1
Tiger finally hit a fairway and … couldn’t convert. Put his second on the par 5 over the green, hit a poor chip, leaving himself with a lengthy birdie putt that he could not convert.
Here comes Tony
Tony Finau has entered the mix, with four birdies in his first six holes.
Another birdie for Xander
Xander Schauffele cards yet another birdie, his fifth on the day, and will make the turn at 31 — 5-under — two shots in front of everyone else.
The key so far: hitting the fairway. He’s made a couple lengthy putts, but for the most part he’s hitting fairways, darting his approaches and draining good looks at birdie.
Tiger Woods is absolutely …
Scrambling … another lengthy par save a No. 17. He doesn’t have the driver working, but he certainly has the flat stick working. If he can find the green in regulation, the birdies might just come.
Xander to the top
Xander Schauffele is off to a tremendous start in his quest to win his first major. He’s birdied four of his first seven holes to take the solo lead at 4-under.
Gotta hit the fairway …
A bogey for Tiger at 15 after missing the fairway with his tee shot. That forced another layup, and he wasn’t able to make the lengthy par save.
Big names showing up
There are birdies to be had at Valhalla, with a collection of big names already at 3-under. That includes: Xander Schauffele, Jordan Speith and Viktor Hovland.
Already, 20 players are under par.
Another for Rory … and Xander
Rory McIlroy (so far) is picking up where he left off last week. Another birdie at 13 puts him at -2 and atop the leaderboard with … Xander Schauffele and Doug Ghim.
Viktor Hovland remembers how to play the game
(Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
For a moment there, it seemed like Viktor Hovland was ready to take over the game. He won the Tour Championship last fall going away, and everything was clicking for the Ryder Cup hero/Norwegian metal music lover. But then his game slipped off the edge of the planet, and he’s looked lost ever since.
All this is a leadup to say that Hovland is -2 over the first three holes. Let’s see if it continues, or if we just cursed him.
Birdie for Tiger
Back-to-back one-putts for Tiger as he drains an 18-footer for birdie at the island green 13th. Back to Even on his round.
Tiger with the save
The rough is thick at Valhalla, meaning tee shots in the fairway are a must. Tiger missed the fairway on 12, forcing him to pitch out. He put his approach to 15 feet, then drained the putt for a par. Huge save to start his day.
First impressions of Tiger Woods @ Valhalla
Walked the first three holes (10, 11, 12) with Tiger, and I can tell you this: the rough is going to be a PROBLEM for players in the early morning waves today and Friday. It’s three inches deep to start the week, and should be four by Sunday. It gets absolutely soaked with morning dew (and, probably, Friday rain) and snares errant shots, like Tiger’s approach on 11 and tee shot on 12.
The long, straight hitters on this course — like Rory McIlroy, who’s already -1 — are going to have the advantage. As Tiger showed with his punch-out on 12, it’s better to be straight and a little shorter off the tee than trying to get too clever and muscling up.
One birdie, one bogey
Tiger Woods, after parring his first hole (No. 10), scrambles for bogey on the 11th. Meanwhile, Mr. Major Slowstart (Rory McIlroy), birdies his first hole (No. 10). Could returning to Valhalla be where it finally happens (again) for Rory?
The Block Party is over
It was a good run for Michael Block. Short, but good.
How else would you start a tournament in Kentucky?
Let’s have ourselves a tournament
Good morning from Valhalla Golf Club, where the fog has burned off and the sun is just peeking over the tops of the trees. We have a full slate of the world’s best players on the slate for today, with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy teeing off shortly after 8 a.m. ET.
Much of the pre-tournament talk focused on golf’s ongoing civil war and private lives, so it surely comes as a relief to the players — and many fans, too — that the game is now afoot. Three days from now, a major champion will emerge from this 156-man field, and it ought to be a hell of a ride to get there.
The course looks beautiful, the Kentucky galleries are already full, and the stage is set for another epic major tournament. Stick with us all week, and let’s have ourselves a fine PGA Championship.
And they’re off …
After a 10-minute delay for fog, Michael Block lets it rip …
Let the Return of the Block Party begin …
The 106th PGA Championship is about to get underway with a familiar face: Michael Block, the club pro who grabbed everyone’s attention a year ago with a T15 finish, which included a hole-in-one, will kick things off.
As for the weather, things might get rough Friday and Saturday, but today … just a little fog delaying the start by 10 minutes. So, those tee times, just add 10 minutes to each.
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