Rory McIlroy begins his PGA Championship bid with a bogey, while Scottie Scheffler prepares to tee off in his quest to become the event's first repeat winner since 2019.
Rory McIlroy's bid for a second consecutive major title got off to a rocky start as he opened his first round at the PGA Championship with a bogey. The Masters champion, who is currently ranked number two in the world, began his round at the par-four 10th hole at Aronimink Golf Club. However, his tee shot hit a tree, and he barely managed to get his second shot out of the thick rough before hitting it to 14 feet from where he two-putted.
McIlroy was playing in a high-profile group with Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm, one of 11 LIV Golf players competing in the year's second major. Spieth, who is bidding to become only the seventh man to complete the career grand slam of winning golf's four majors, opened with a par. The group's performance will be closely watched, especially given the presence of LIV Golf players in the tournament.
Another high-profile threesome, featuring 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, and LIV Golf's Tyrrell Hatton, was playing one group ahead of McIlroy. Schauffele enjoyed a birdie-birdie start, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting tournament. A further group ahead, LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau, who finished runner-up at the last two editions of the PGA Championship, was playing with Ludvig Aberg and Rickie Fowler. DeChambeau was one over after two holes, indicating that the competition will be fierce.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, who upped his major tally to four with wins at last year's PGA Championship and British Open, is not due to tee off until later in the day. Scheffler has runner-up finishes in his last three starts on the PGA Tour, including at the Masters, where he fell just short of pulling off an unprecedented comeback from 12 strokes down after 36 holes. His performance will be closely watched, especially given his status as the defending champion. Among the day's other later starters are Cameron Young, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, and former champions Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas.
As the tournament progresses, the competition is expected to heat up, with several players vying for the top spot. Stephan Jaeger was the early on-course leader after going four under through his opening six holes, setting the pace for the rest of the field. With McIlroy, Scheffler, and other top players in the mix, the PGA Championship promises to be an exciting and closely contested tournament. The question on everyone's mind is whether McIlroy can bounce back from his bogey start and make a strong bid for the title, or if Scheffler will be able to defend his championship and make history as the event's first repeat winner since 2019.
