CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The opening round of the PGA Championship saw an unexpected leaderboard emerge on Thursday at Quail Hollow Club, with several prominent stars struggling while less familiar names rose to the top.
Adding to the day`s surprises, Jhonattan Vegas, who hadn`t made a major cut since the 2021 U.S. Open (T57), surged with birdies on five of his last six holes. This remarkable finish resulted in a 7-under 64, securing him a two-stroke lead. Playing alongside Australia`s Elvis Smylie, Vegas became the first player from Venezuela to hold or share a first-round lead at a major championship.
“It feels amazing,” Vegas commented. “It`s what we dream of.”
Ryan Gerard and Cam Davis finished tied for second at 5 under. European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was part of a group of five golfers at 4 under.
As we look ahead to Friday, here’s what promises to be interesting in the second round:
Analyzing Rory, Scottie, and Xander entering Friday
According to Mark Schlabach, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele might have been higher up the leaderboard had it not been for challenging mud balls on the par-4 16th hole. Neither player displayed their peak performance in the first round, but Scheffler managed to card a 2-under 69, while Schauffele finished at 1 over.
Scheffler expressed dissatisfaction with the course conditions, particularly after a mud ball contributed to a double-bogey on the 16th. Schauffele faced a similar issue, and Rory McIlroy also encountered trouble on the long par 4.
“Overall, I did a good job battling and keeping a level head out there during a day [in] which there [were] definitely some challenging aspects to the course,” Scheffler stated. “I did a good job posting a number on a day where I didn`t have my best stuff.”
McIlroy, a popular favorite this week, especially given his multiple Wells Fargo Championship victories at Quail Hollow, struggled notably on Thursday. His tee shots were inconsistent, hitting only four fairways out of 14, and his putting cost him significantly, losing about 2½ strokes to the field.
Despite the rough start, it`s premature to dismiss McIlroy. It`s worth recalling his opening round at the Masters, where two double bogeys in the final four holes resulted in an even-par 72, leaving him seven strokes behind the leader. He followed that with back-to-back 66s to take a two-stroke lead into Sunday, ultimately winning in a playoff.
Which unexpected name near the top could remain a contender through the weekend?
Mark Schlabach`s pick is New Zealand`s Ryan Fox, one of the last players to qualify for the PGA Championship. Fox secured his spot by winning last week`s Oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic in a playoff, marking his first PGA Tour victory after four wins on the DP World Tour.
Despite minimal preparation this week (hitting some balls, playing one hole before storms, and then playing 18 holes), Fox posted a 4-under 67 on Thursday.
“Just pick my targets, hit my shots and trust that I`m playing well,” Fox commented. “It`s amazing what finding a bit of confidence can do. Like all of a sudden, the bad shots that were irking me a couple weeks ago didn`t seem to matter quite so much today.”
Fox also possesses mental toughness, inherited perhaps from his father, Grant, who played on the All Blacks team that won the 1987 Rugby World Cup.
Paolo Uggetti leans towards Stephan Jaeger. A PGA Tour winner who has significantly increased his distance off the tee and climbed into the world`s top 50, Jaeger surprisingly struggled with driving accuracy on Thursday, losing strokes off the tee. However, he remained high on the leaderboard due to his exceptional approach game, gaining 1.4 shots on the field in that category, a promising sign for consistency.
“This golf course is hard, it`s long and plays even longer this week because it`s wet,” Jaeger noted. “You have to be able to hit it in the fairways and decently long in the fairways so you can hold the greens with mid-irons rather than long irons.”
Jaeger hit 12 of 18 greens in the first round, and effectively managed his misses with a strong short game, gaining over two strokes on the field. Among the surprising names near the top, Jaeger seems to possess the necessary skills to stay in contention through the weekend.
Who is now the favorite to win after Round 1?
Mark Schlabach argues for Scottie Scheffler, citing his world No. 1 ranking and dominant eight-stroke win in his previous tour start. Despite the presence of surprising names on the leaderboard, Scheffler`s pedigree sets him apart.
On Thursday, Scheffler`s driving and chipping were strong, his iron play was merely adequate, and he lost about half a stroke putting. Should his putting improve over the weekend, he will be exceptionally difficult to beat. Although he faced a tough break on the 16th and trails, his position on the leaderboard allows him to lurk dangerously.
Paolo Uggetti agrees that Scheffler is the obvious choice, having shot 2 under with arguably his `C` game. Beyond Scheffler, he favors Bryson DeChambeau. The two-time major champion continued his approach play struggles from the Masters but still cobbled together an under-par round. DeChambeau needs to improve his approaches to win, but his powerful driving remains a significant advantage, potentially putting him in contention with slight improvements elsewhere.
Uggetti also highlights Jon Rahm as a big name potentially flying under the radar. While the Spaniard hasn`t featured prominently in recent majors, often due to slow starts, his 1-under 70 this week is a better beginning. Rahm has been consistent on the LIV Tour but seems due for a strong showing in a major, needing to put himself in contention for the first time since winning the 2023 Masters.
Major names facing pressure on Friday to make the cut?
Mark Schlabach points out that many prominent players will need improved performances on Friday to make the cut, which includes the top 70 scores and ties. Several past major champions are among those close to the cut line.
Players at 2 over include Sepp Straka, Rickie Fowler, Shane Lowry, Jason Day, Max Homa, and Justin Thomas.
At 3 over are Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Min Woo Lee, and Gary Woodland. Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth are further back at 5 over.
Several LIV Golf League stars are also in danger of missing the weekend: Joaquín Niemann (3 over), Brooks Koepka (4 over), Sergio Garcia (4 over), Cameron Smith (7 over), Dustin Johnson (7 over), and Phil Mickelson (8 over).
Ryder Cup captains make a splash in Round 1
Paolo Uggetti notes the fitting presence of the two Ryder Cup captains, Luke Donald (Europe) and Keegan Bradley (USA), near the top of the leaderboard after the first round. Despite having differing priorities and expectations coming into the week, both found themselves inside the top 10.
“Someone just told me it was the lowest first round in a major I`ve had since 2004 or something. So you know, obviously I`ve been trending with all the missed cuts coming into this week,” Donald quipped. “But no, it was a pleasant surprise. I got off to a really nice, steady start. I hit a bunch of fairways on the front nine which always makes me feel good about my game.”
The 47-year-old Donald, playing a limited schedule and in the field via a PGA of America invitation, had missed his previous three cuts this year. While the captaincy occupies much of his time, he has clearly been working on his game.
“I was pumped to see Luke up there,” Bradley said. “I know how hard he`s been working back home. Luke is an all-time great player. Doesn`t surprise me.”
Bradley, with six top-20 finishes this season, including a top-five, is capable of competing at this level. This contrasts with Donald`s situation when discussing the possibility of a playing captain. As Donald himself stated:
“Keegan is top 20 in the world. He can have one good week out here, win, which he`s very capable of, and he`s absolutely in the conversation of being a playing captain. I don`t think that`s quite in my future, but Keegan, we live very close together. I see where he practices, and he practices very hard. He`s still one of the top players in the world.”
Insights on course playability and outlook for the coming days?
According to Paolo Uggetti, the major discussion point after Round 1 was the prevalence of mud balls. Following several inches of rain, Quail Hollow remains wet, leading players to encounter unpredictable lies even in the fairway.
“It`s one of those deals where it`s frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it`s going to go,” Scheffler lamented. “I understand it`s part of the game, but there`s nothing more frustrating for a player. You spend your whole life trying to learn how to control a golf ball, and due to a rules decision all of a sudden you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes.”
The PGA of America`s decision not to implement preferred lies for the first round, despite the conditions, surprised several players. Mud on the ball makes predicting trajectory difficult, turning shots into a “roulette.”
Schauffele noted the general player frustration:
“I wouldn`t want to go in the locker room because I`m sure a lot of guys aren`t super happy with the sort of conditions there… I feel like the grass is so good, there is no real advantage to cleaning your ball in the fairway. The course is completely tipped out.”
Scheffler was visibly frustrated by the mud ball on the 16th, which led to his approach shot hooking into the water and resulting in a double bogey, a fate shared by Schauffele.
Schauffele also warned that conditions might worsen:
“The mud balls are going to get worse. They`re going to get worse as the place dries up. They`re going to get in that perfect cake zone to where it`s kind of muddy underneath and then picking up mud on the way through… It`s a bit of a crapshoot.”
While this unpredictability might seem unfair to some competitors, from a spectator`s perspective, the chaos introduced by mud balls could potentially make the major far more compelling.
Jaeger generally praised the PGA`s setup but noted the likely changes:
“Normally, I feel like the PGA does a really good job with setup. It`s always fair. If they have the right golf courses, it`s fair and hard… That SubAir is going and the greens are going to get firmer and faster as the week goes on. They were manageable today… but I know the weather looks pretty hot for the weekend. So it`s going to be baked out by Sunday for sure.”
For DeChambeau, embracing the uncertainty is key:
“You just have to manage your ball a little bit better. It`s not easy,” DeChambeau stated. “I hit a couple shots where the ball is over-curving and you just have to go, `Ok I got to play it out more one way`… everybody has to deal with it.”
Marcus Blakely 
Wesley Dunham