The PGA Championship has solely simply begun, but it surely has already supplied loads of causes for followers to be amazed. Not solely is the highest of the leaderboard trying totally different than many anticipated, however a few of the favorites have been greater than a bit underwhelming.
European Ryder Cup captain and former World No. 1 Luke Donald is likely one of the shock leaders after 4 bogey-free birdies on his method to 4-under par.
“Clearly more than happy with the rating, bogey-free in a significant,” Donald stated after his efficiency.
“Somebody simply instructed me it was the bottom first spherical in a significant I’ve had since 2004 or one thing. So you understand, clearly I have been trending with all of the missed cuts coming into this week,” he stated with a smile.
Donald’s first-round rating was certainly spectacular. In keeping with golf statistician Justin Ray, it tied his profession low rating within the first spherical of a significant (2004 PGA Championship) and can also be his first bogey-free spherical in tournaments of this class since 2015.
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Names like Ryan Fox, Alex Smalley, Stephan Jaeger and even former winner of this occasion Keegan Bradley (all tied at 4-under) weren’t within the plans of many to occupy privileged positions on the leaderboard. Definitely not Ryan Gerard, who was 7-under heading into the seventeenth gap.
Those that have been speculated to be in competition for the highest spots have been World No. 1 and No. 2, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. However that was to not be.
Scheffler had a way more rollercoaster spherical than he’s used to, carding an eagle, 4 birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. His rating of 2-under places him in a share of 14th place with the primary spherical nonetheless to play.
“Total I did job battling and conserving a degree head on the market throughout a day which there was undoubtedly some difficult features to the course and did job posting a quantity on a day the place I did not have my greatest stuff,” Scheffler stated after the spherical.
The Northern Irishman fared a lot worse. His efficiency included two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey for a dreadful 3-over that left him in a tie for 92nd place on the leaderboard.
McIlroy’s case is especially putting given his document at Quail Hole, a course the place he has received 4 instances and has 5 different top-10 finishes.
Extra Golf: Scottie Scheffler Rocking ‘Jail Cell Orange’ at PGA Championship
